Passicaglia and Fugue in C Minor
by Freddo
Summary: My AU Star Blazers story The Rikasha Incident continues as in its eighth part, in February 2202, the Star Force reaches Iscandar again. Can Starsha & Aliscea stop the Dark Lord? COMPLETED.
1. Chapter 1

* * *

**ALTERNATE TALES OF THE STAR FORCE**

**STAR BLAZERS****---****PASSICAGLIA AND FUGUE IN C MINOR**

**Being the eighth part of THE RIKASHA INCIDENT--- BY: Frederick P. Kopetz**

NOTE: (1) Derek Wakefield has graciously granted permission to use two of his characters--namely **Dac and Anya Windfield**--in this installment of this tale. The characters of "Dac Windfield" and "Anya Windfield" are Copyright (c) 2003 by Derek A. C. Wakefield. All rights reserved. All references to and usage of these characters here was done with the express permission of Mr. Wakefield.

* * *

**ACT ONE--ISCANDAR**

* * *

**I. ONE DAY OVER LUNCH**

**Planet Iscandar**

**Mother Town Dockyard**

**Space Battleship _Argo_**

**Monday, February 22, 2202**

**1214 Hours: Spacetime**

* * *

"So, it's lunch?" said Paul Rosstowski as he sat eating at a table on the _Argo_.

"Yeah, it is," said Captain Wildstar.

"But it looks like the sun's coming up. I had a look out a view port earlier."

"We're on Earth time, Paul. Not local Iscandarian time. We ate breakfast at the local equivalent of one AM here on Iscandar. It was 0600 for us."

"Where's Aliscea?" asked Derek a moment later.

"Meditating," said Paul. "She's getting ready for her meeting with Queen Starsha. Where's Nova?"

"She also said she's getting ready to meet with Starsha. Hey, look at this. Alfalfa sprouts. Like those?"

"I don't eat that stuff, sir."

"You should," said Derek. "Nova's got me hooked on this stuff. Of course, I adapt to foods pretty easily, when they don't serve the same thing and make up a different name for it on the menu three days in a row."

"Explain?"

"Last Thursday, we had Salisbury Steak for lunch. Then, on Friday, we had meatloaf. Same soy-hamburger mix; they just threw a different sauce on it. Then, on Saturday, we had Angus Beef patties. For dinner. Then, I went and complained to Nova, and she went and yelled at the galley crew. Right? Guess what we got yesterday?"

"Salisbury steak. Again," said Rosstowski. "At least today they have seafood. Or something that _looks _like seafood. I'm not sure which."

"Yeah. I'm not sure, either," said Derek. He began to play with his food. "Can we analyze this stuff?"

Both of them laughed. The Captain continued to play with his food. "Chef!" he yelled. "I want to issue a complaint about the service in this restaurant!"

Hardy overheard them, and he laughed along with them.

From not far away, they heard another laugh. "_Derek_, stop playing with your food! I'll talk to the chef again!"

A smattering of applause and wolf whistles filled the messhall as Nova flounced in. She was wearing the same pink dress and choker she had worn when they had been aboard Cha'rif's ship a few weeks ago. She wore her pink high-heeled dress sandals with her dress, and looked very summery.

"Like it?" she said, as she pirouetted around. "This time, I _am_ going to wear this to meet with Queen Starsha. I took temperature readings, and found it was warmer out there than last time. I think I'd just _melt_ in my uniform out there today, don't you?"

The crew (mostly males) applauded. More wolf-whistles filled the room as Nova turned to get her lunch, winking at Derek in the process.

"Showoff," muttered another female; one of the Black Tigers. "I should've worn my black leather mini today."

"Hey, Nova," said another Black Tiger. "Now that you're related to her, can ya set me up with some of her relatives? I heard she's got kids."

"We'll see, but I don't think so, Sugiyama."

"Oh, rats," said the pilot. "Where's Hartcliffe?"

"Still gettin' evaluated in Sickbay," said Hardy.

"So what are you eating?" asked Derek as he looked at Nova's plate.

"Alfalfa sprouts. Lots of them. With salt," said Nova as she gave her husband a playful wink.

"Uh...yeah! When are we going to find time to be alone?" whispered Derek in her ear.

"Later. Starsha told me something about giving us directions to our _very own island_ later today when you grant shore leave," whispered Nova in Derek's ear.

"Not bad," said Derek. He kissed Nova as Hardy, Sugiyama, Rosstowski, and even Sakamoto applauded.

Then, Rosstowski's smile dropped as Aliscea came up behind him, looking rather serious.

"I'm done meditating," she said. "May I have a seat, please?"

Sugiyama and Nova got up at once, offering their seats to the mysterious young woman in black whose presence on the ship was the whole reason behind their second cruise here to Iscandar. "I'll take Mister Sugiyama's chair. Thank you, Nova. Please sit back down beside your mate." After she sat, she looked at Nova and stammered, "Uh...thank you." Then, she glanced at Paul and sent, _Paul, it is getting worse. We made it just in time. He is getting closer_.

_How much time do we think we have left?_

_Two weeks. Maybe a week and a half. But I won't push too much, yet. We need a rest, Paul. Let them enjoy some shore leave. Please come with me._

Aliscea made a pleading gesture with her eyes, and Paul said, "Yes. I'll come and meet Starsha with you."

"Thank you."

Sandor came up. "Wildstar?"

"Steve," said Derek. "Venture, Nova, Paul, Aliscea and I are leaving to meet with Starsha and Alex."

"May I come, too?" asked Sandor. "It's been too long since I've met with your brother."

A while later, after they finished lunch, Derek (in his peacoat), Nova (in her dress), and Venture (in regular uniform) all led the way down the _Argo's_ gangplank near the dock.

Nova stopped, adjusting her purse. "Look at all of the damage behind us in the plating. _Horrible_!" she said, shaking her head while she traced one of the uneven welds in the dark grey hull behind her head.

"You don't know quite how bad it looks until you see it from outside," said Venture. "Derek, the _Argo_ really needs a refit."

"She does," said Derek. "We've pushed her really hard the past few weeks. I hope the old girl can get us home all right."

"She'll get you through this," said Aliscea as she came up with Paul and Sandor. The blue sky of Iscandar framed her head as she spoke. "I can feel the spirit of the ship, though. She is very, very tired. She needs a rest when we get home to Earth. When we make it to Earth..."

"Aliscea..." said Paul.

"We _will_ make it," she said in a sad voice. "But, we have to endure much. At any rate, I sense Starsha's presence. She is coming."

Aliscea fell silent. Captain Wildstar led the way as they walked off

They walked along the dock, looking back at the thrumming grey and red bulk of the aging _Argo _as they walked off the gangplank. _Can we make it back to Earth successfully?_ thought Captain Wildstar in a depressed mental voice. _Can we really beat Ekogaru? When we were first here, on Iscandar, I felt so much hope. This time, why do I just look out at Mother Town and feel hopelessness? Is there anything Starsha can do to help us against something as deranged as Ekogaru? Something...as evil? And what about Desslok? And Lysis? Can they even help us? Can all of their ships defeat the Dark Lord? Or, are we all just whistling past the graveyard?_

They began walking up a green hill. Nova sighed a little with relief as warm grass touched her sandal-clad toes as she began to walk on the warm soft ground of Iscandar rather than the hard, but warm stone quay.

Starsha stood awaiting them in silence. _Captain Wildstar, Alex's younger brother, looks older in that coat; older and wiser,_ thought Starsha. _Nova certainly has matured as his wife; she is a woman now, not a girl. Judging from his face, Mark Venture looks like he has been through a lot; I see sadness in his eyes. Stephen Sandor; as smart as ever. I wonder if he's made any new inventions recently? I see that he was able to work the Cosmo-DNA successfully; he had doubts if he could assemble it properly when last he was here.. Aliscea. I have contacted you already. My equal...perhaps my superior in some ways? I am wondering what you can do to help us against Ekogaru. And you, Paul Rosstowski. I barely met you the first time you were here; you have matured perhaps the most of all of these men and women. You will need to; I see that, perhaps, you shall have the hardest road to walk. You, Aliscea, and Nova. Should I tell them what I have sensed about them, and their role in attempting to defeat the Dark Lord? I'm not even sure, though, if we shall win or not..._

They came up to Queen Starsha, smiling as the Iscandarian queen looked at Aliscea and bowed slightly.

"You and Nova," she said thoughtfully. "So similar in appearance. Interesting. I can tell you have seen much, Aliscea. You have been through much, haven't you?"

"I have," said Aliscea. "Those who live within me, in the Matrix, have seen even more. We could all learn much from them."

"Pardon me," said Starsha as she shut her eyes for a minute. "Let it not be said that my courtesy has lessened as of late. Again, welcome to Iscandar, all of you. And thank you for bringing Aliscea here. I am Queen Starsha of Iscandar. And this is my consort..."

Derek's eyes lit up as a tall man clad in a black peacoat and black slacks emerged from behind Starsha. "Alex! I'm so glad to see you!"

"Hello, Derek," said Alex Wildstar in a serious voice. He looked very solemn as he came up to his brother. But then, he gave him a pat on the cheek. "Ah...your face is nice and clear," he said as Nova smiled slightly. "I see Nova's been looking after you well."

"We've only been married for about two months," laughed Nova. They turned so that Mother Town, and a nearby travel tube that led to a far part of the crystalline city, was behind them. The view was spectacular.

"May I take a picture of the two of you with my electronic memory?" asked IQ-9.

"Go ahead," said Derek. He and Nova smiled as IQ-9 took the picture.

"You say you have been married for only two months. But you have been together for far longer," said Starsha.

"Of course," stammered Nova, curtseying a little towards Starsha as she remembered where she was.

"Nova, that's not necessary," said Starsha. "You deserve as much honor here as anyone does. I know what you've been through since you left Iscandar. Without you, the mission to save Earth from Gamilon would never have succeeded. Come. We have much to discuss. Up to my palace. Quite a bit has changed since the last time you were here. Thanks to Alex and I...and some other events, Iscandar has a new lease of life again..."

Wondering what she was talking about, the travelers from Earth and Pellias followed Starsha and Alex up the hill towards Mother Town.

* * *

**II. AT QUEEN STARSHA'S PALACE**

**Planet Iscandar**

**Mother**** Town**

**Monday, February 22, 2202**

**1305 Hours: Spacetime**

* * *

After a long walk, they entered the palace. "So, there are others on Iscandar now, Queen Starsha?" asked Venture.

"Right. Some of them are the children Alex and I have had; others were the descendants of the crew of a pair of exploration vessels that returned to Iscandar not too long ago. They had left before the virus had struck."

A young woman in a long purple dress and silvery sandals nodded to them at the doorway to Starsha's palace. She looked so much like the late Princess Astra that Derek and Venture started when they saw her. Of course, they also noticed a striking resemblance to Aliscea and a truly striking resemblance to Nova.

"My daughter, Princess Astra," said Queen Starsha. "She was named after her late aunt."

"And she looks much like her living one," said Derek in awe as he looked back and forth between his wife and Astra. Nova stood blushing slightly as Derek shook hands with his niece and gave her a small hug. Nova gave the young woman a bigger hug before she and Derek stood together holding hands again.

"I'm pleased to meet both of you," said Astra. "You do look a bit like my father, Uncle. And, you Nova...we could be twins."

"Why, thank you," chuckled Nova. "I'm...flattered. You're very beautiful."

"Thank you, Aunt Nova," said Astra quietly. A tall young bearded man appeared. "This is Conor, _my_ consort," explained Astra while she gestured towards the tall young man. "He is an Iscandarian; a survivor from one of the exploration vessels." Astra then turned to Aliscea. "What an honor it is to meet you. Mother has said much about you."

"Thank you, Princess," said Aliscea quietly.

"Where's my brother?" said Astra.

"He's out checking something odd that we picked up on one of our sensors," said Alex. Alex then turned to Derek and said, "We have a son, too. You'll meet him later."

"Shall we enter the palace?" said Starsha. "This way, please."

* * *

Starsha walked down a staircase; her tread in her silken ballet-style slippers was very quiet. She was followed by Alex, Astra, and the others. After going downwards (which surprised Sandor a little) they entered a large room where comfortable chairs surrounded a table set with drinks and light snacks.

"We'll need the nectar," said Starsha. "We have much to discuss." Starsha sat down. Nova noticed that something that looked like a set of scrolls sat on the table before Queen Starsha. After everyone was seated, Starsha said. "Thank you for coming here. Aliscea, Iscandar will do everything at its disposal to help you stop Ekogaru. We have an obligation to do so. You see, it is partly the fault of our ancestors that Ekogaru even exists," said Starsha with downcast, sad eyes.

"What do you mean by that?" asked Captain Wildstar in a shocked tone of voice.

"Long ago," said Starsha. "Long, long ago, before our people's travels ceased, our ancestors walked aboard in the universe gathering knowledge. We learned from others; we learned from Nature and our observations, and we freely shared that knowledge with others. At one time, Iscandar was home to a race of psionic adepts of great skill, power, and might. Our wisdom was also very great. Since then, we have faded. The mental power I have at my disposal today as Queen is but a shadow; a mere memory of the blazing power and might my royal ancestors once held. Even with her relative lack of skill, Aliscea can do far more to stop Ekogaru than I. What we do have here that she may not have, even within the Matrix of her ancestors' memories, are the secrets behind the disciplines that Ekogaru himself learned here. Yes, long ago, Ekogaru himself was one of our ancestors' students. But, he did not take what he learned here to truly help others, as we intended. No. He took what we learned and he perverted it into something black, evil, and possibly sorcerous."

"Which techniques did your ancestors teach him?" asked Aliscea, who looked horror-struck by this. "And why would they have done this?

"Astral projection, direct telepathic contact, and manipulation of energy," said Starsha. "Those were usually what we taught to outsiders. The records I have here in the scrolls state that Ekogaru learned these disciplines from us, stating he was going to use them for the good of others of his Rikashan people. He was the last Rikashan my ancestors taught, and with good reason. They left notes, but the histories state that he murdered all of his Iscandarian teachers when they refused to divulge more information than they were permitted."

Derek and Alex looked at each other, sickened by what they had just heard. But, Aliscea just shook her head. "It sounds in character for the Dark Lord. Which energy manipulation skills was he taught?"

"The defensive ones; how to shut down a ship's weapons systems from a distance, and how to stop an energy attack. We didn't teach him how to initiate such an attack by mental power...it is said that he gained this knowledge from the records of the ancient adept known as Laras."

"You told me about Laras," said Alex. "Was he one of the engineers who perfected the wave motion engine?'

"He was," said Starsha. "Laras was both a great psionic and a great engineer. He was a wise man, and a good one. When Ekogaru killed him, it is said in the notes of one of the survivors of the massacre, which took place aboard a Rikashan vessel where Laras and his disciples were guests, it is said that Ekogaru took Laras' personal scrolls and notes. It is thought that Laras may have been designing a planet-sized ship to be used as a long-range exploration vessel, or exodus ship in time of disaster. It is thought that Ekogaru may have taken those plans with him."

"So, some of the secrets of the design of his Fortress came from your people?" said Nova.

Starsha nodded. "I'm sorry, but that is the case."

"Nothing can be done, then, can it?" said Venture. "Didn't you say that Ekogaru took the copy that Laras had?"

"Yes and no. Laras had copies of his research in two other locations here on Iscandar. One of them was here, in the libraries of Mother Town in the _Landanishar_ or "Hall of Records." It was a great library we once had. The other place may have been in the ancient colleges of the city we called Sister Village, or Arandia in our old language. The libraries here would be easier to check. I would not recommend we try to find the colleges of Arandia unless we have no other alternative."

"Why not?" said Derek.

"Nova, what do you remember about Diamond Island from the time that you were taken there?" said Starsha quietly. "I ask this because you are the only living Earth person who has seen it. Your abductors...all died there."

"I remember there was a city on the far end of the island," said Nova. "It looked like it was a very large city. Sparks and his bunch kept me in and around a cave that they were going to settle. They also...teased... me a bit as they put it. They told me I was to have my wedding night with Sparks that night...then with the rest of them. I was held on the ground for a while...I tried fighting them off...didn't work. That's why my uniform was messed up...when I was rescued, Derek. But, yes, Starsha, I remember that there was a city there. Was that Arandia?"

"It was," said Starsha. "And I gather you can guess what became of it when Diamond Island sank. The libraries of the colleges are now down many fathoms. It would be a difficult and dangerous dive."

"If need be," said Derek, "We have diving equipment, Starsha. And we have quite a few divers among my crew, but Nova and I could take on the dive ourselves if needed for security reasons. Right, Nova?"

Nova nodded. "It's part of my Survey training. I'm used to being underwater. I've even managed to dive in a shipwreck a few times. As part of a survey of Bikini Atoll on Earth, I had to dive among the shipwrecks there to gain information on how well the Cosmo-DNA worked when we used it on Earth I was down in the wreck of the old U.S.S. _Indiana_. Interesting, Derek, that when they built her, she was to have been called the _Pennsylvania_. "

"Yeah," said Derek.

"Didn't you have a model of that ship around once in your collection, Derek?" asked Alex.

Captain Wildstar smiled a little as his brother took a temporary trip back in the past to take him back to his childhood. "Yes. I had models of the old _Indiana_ that was damaged at Pearl Harbor and later repaired and then sunk at Bikini Atoll. Also, I had a model of the _Pennsylvania_; the later one...the _South Dakota_ class ship that was christened in 1942. Funny; I kept that ship by my model of the _Yamato_. I wonder if the _Argo's_ ever going to end up docked near the _Pennsylvania_?"

"She still exists?" said Venture.

"Didn't you ever go to Penn's Landing?" mocked Rosstowski gently. "She survived the bombings and is in Philly as a museum ship. I went aboard her as a kid. Liked her better than the _New Jersey_ across the river."

Venture smiled. After a moment, Starsha glanced at him. "Oh...I'm sorry, Queen Starsha."

"Just reminiscing," said Alex by way of apology.

"Interesting that you are talking about these ships," said Starsha. "Given what I have foreseen...I don't think this is the last I will hear of the _Pennsylvania_. But, as for that dive, it is too dangerous. The waters and current there around the site of the sunken Diamond Island can be treacherous, and there may be lifeforms down there that can be dangerous."

"I'm not scared," said Derek. He glanced at Nova. "Didn't you have an encounter with a shark down there inside the _Indiana_?"

Nova nodded. "Luckily, it was just a small one. Nipped my leg right about here," she said, pointing at a spot on the back of one of her bare calves. "I think it was more interested in seeing if my wetsuit was good to eat."

"How much of it did it get?" asked Derek.

"A lot of it," said Nova with a blush.

"I would have liked to see that," said IQ-9.

"Yes, I bet you _would_ have," sniffed Nova.

"It is my hope that we can find the information we need here," said Starsha. "Aliscea, would you like to begin today?"

Aliscea nodded. "Good. I will take you to the library here in Mother Town."

"Why are you trying to analyze that design again?" asked Paul.

"If the basic engine design for the Technomugar Fortress was developed here on Iscandar, maybe I can analyze those plans with you, Sandor, and we can discover a weakness in Ekogaru's battle station. Maybe," said Aliscea.

"Might be a good idea," said Sandor. "Also, if the dive is too treacherous for humans, we could use IQ-9."

"Thank you," said IQ.

But, Derek gave Nova a questioning look. She smiled a little and nodded. Unknown to the rest of the crew, they had just volunteered themselves to the Captain of the _Argo_ for permission to dive. Of course, since Derek was the Captain, he quietly approved the dive in his head.

"If we need to send anyone down, we'll see," said Derek out loud.

Starsha looked at her brother-in-law and quietly shook her head. _He's decided to do it...if we need to. I shall have to try to talk him and Nova out of it. They could easily get themselves killed down there doing something so dangerous. Brave, self-sacrificing, but dangerous_

"But, before anyone goes to the library, I recommend some relaxation," said Starsha. She pulled up a graphic of the Great Continent of Iscandar that they were on. "Not far from here, there is a beautiful beachfront on the western coast of the continent. Captain Wildstar, your crew can relax there for an afternoon if they like. Plus, if you and Nova...or anyone else, would like to enjoy a more private retreat later on, there is a small archipelago of islands to the north. Derek, Nova, I give you the northernmost of these islands as a gift for your use whenever you are here. Anyone else can use the other three large islands which have retreats on them. There are also smaller, undeveloped islands that you can explore."

"When can we begin this exploration?" asked Paul.

"Later today, if your Captain allows it," said Starsha.

"After the party, I'll give you and Aliscea an overnight liberty to check out the island you're interested in," said Derek. "Nova and I will also be taking an overnight liberty to explore ours." Derek then smiled at his wife. Judging from her return smile, Nova liked this idea a great deal.

"Which leaves me in command of the ship, I guess," said Mark.

"Mark, you and Holly can check out any island you like tomorrow evening after Nova and I get back," said Derek with a smile. "As you can see by the map, there's lots of islands."

"Just don't go checking the same island that we're on at the same time if we're still there," said Nova with a smile.

"Oh, we won't," said Venture.

"I think I will now leave you to your business," said Starsha. "I may be at your party later. Also, when my son arrives back home, I have someone I'd like you and Nova to meet. He's with my son right now."

"Sure," said Derek, wondering whom Starsha was talking about.

* * *

**III. BEACH PARTY**

**Planet Iscandar**

**Off the Western Shore of the Great Continent **

**Monday, February 22, 2202**

**1522 Hours: Space time**

* * *

Later on that afternoon, after they left the palace, Nova and Derek found themselves in an Iscandarian hoverboat approaching the point on the shoreline where Starsha had said they could have their party.

"Derek, did you bring your swimsuit like I asked?"

"Uh..." said Derek, looking inside his peacoat. "Yeah. I did."

"Well, we're here at the western shoreline," said Nova as they sat together in their boat off the beach as it slowed. They came to a stop, several hundred meters off the beach, of course. Once they stopped, Nova opened her dress and pulled it off over her head, revealing her pink tank suit.

"Cute," said Derek.

"It'll feel better when I get these heels off...ooof..." Nova struggled a little, but she extricated herself from her dress sandals a moment later. "Much better...mmm", she said while flexing her toes. She put her shoes in a small storage compartment of the hoverboat. "Now, let's get you out of that uniform...you must be sweltering in that."

"Nova, you're gonna undress me here in the boat?"

"Why not, it's fun?" she giggled. "C'mon...arms out..."

* * *

Some time passed. On the beach, Conroy was looking at one of the surfboards that had just been unloaded off a spare Marine landing boat.

"Good; it didn't get chipped," he said. He was already in a swimsuit.

"What is that you are looking at?" said IQ-9.

"A surfboard; one of three," said Conroy. "Mine's the black one. The girls' board is the red one because it's a little lighter, and then there's a white one. We'll have to take turns."

"Doing what?" asked Tatiana Lubyanska as she yawned. She was in a small black bikini; Conroy wore black and gold swim trunks.

"Surfing," laughed Conroy.

"look at me, hero of the beach!" said Royster as he came up in a blue swimsuit that showed off his scrawny frame. Hardy began to laugh, until he saw that he had Laurel Hartmann (who was in a tight white one-piece) clinging to him.

"Sorry, guys," said Laurel with a blush. "I told him, he needs to hit those milk shakes."

"Hello there, thunder-tush," said IQ-9 to Diane Henson as she went past.

"Stop making fun of my swimsuit, you _tinwit_," said Henson angrily.

Someone had a tape player. Some surf music went on as Doctor Sane and Doctor Bradford began to set up a hibachi. Sane was in a black set of swim trunks and loud Hawaiian shirt with _geta_, Bradford wore a sleek one-piece in black.

"Where's Aliscea?" said Conroy.

"Showing up," said Hardy as he dug in his bag.

A moment later, the crew saw a boat coming up. They began to applaud and cheer as Derek stepped out in his red-and-white Speedo, and quite a few crewmembers whistled at Nova and her pink swimsuit.

"Sorry we took so long," said Derek.

"Where's that surfboard?" asked Nova.

"You want to try already?" asked Derek.

Nova nodded.

"The board's over theah, Nova," said Hardy. "Ah think you can just about carry it."

"Thanks," said Nova. "Derek, you said you were out of practice. Let me try first."

"Uh, Nova...the last time I did this was many years ago, as a kid..."

"Same here. The last time for me was twelve. But I think I remember what I should do..."

Nova got her board. A while later, after she paddled out to sea on it, it turned out that she _did_ remember what to do...more or less, that is. She waited for a wave (a moderate-sized one, about three and a half meters) to come up, and then she got up on her feet, clung to the board with her toes, and began to ride the wave downwards to a lot of cheers and wolf-whistles from the crew. She stayed up for about a minute (long enough for her husband to get a picture) and looked gorgeous before the wave crashed down. Then, she took a semi-controlled wipeout that brought her up from the blue water a moment later, spluttering and shaking water out of her already wet hair to the applause of the crew.

"Okay," yelled Nova when she retrieved her board and began to paddle back. "Surf's up! Who else wants to try?"

"I do," said IQ-9.

"No you don't!" said Nova.

"I do so. I can surf ten thousand times better than a human. Even you, Nova."

"Fine, you take a turn," said Nova. "I don't know how you're going to stay on that thing with your rubber treads. I have toes. You don't."

"I have an enhanced grip setting that is far more efficient than your feet. Even though they do look gorgeous wet."

"Go on and surf," said Nova. "And stop staring at me."

"Why did you wear a nice swimsuit if you didn't want to be stared at? Ha ha."

_Because I want Derek staring at me, not you,_ thought Nova. Then, she sighed and said, "Hey, IQ? You can help Derek and I build a sand castle later on."

"Good, I'll stare at you then."

"You would," she said. "Now go and surf, tinwit."

"I will do so. Goodbye. I will beat you."

"Good," said Nova as she came up to her husband. "Well, I hope that'll keep him busy."

"I thought you said you wanted to surf."

"I want _him_ out of my hair, and you _in_ my hair. _Comprende_?" said Nova with a smile.

"Comprende," smiled Derek. "You know, if we could find some shells and some string, I've got an idea..."

"Which is?" she said as they walked off together to look for shells.

"You'll see," said Derek.

"I'm gonna try that surf out next," said Conroy as he came up behind them. "I don't want to try it with Tinwit in the water. If he goes flying, I might get crushed."

* * *

After he found the right shells (small ones, like cowrie shells), Derek got some string and made Nova a small bracelet and a small anklet out of shells and string. The bracelet went on her left wrist, and the anklet went on her left ankle.

"How cute!" she said as she sat on the sand looking at her husband's handiwork. "I like these."

"Thanks."

"You know I can't put my shoes back on as long as I wear this," said Nova as she looked at the anklet.

"I'm sorry."

She laughed. "Derek, it's a beautifully warm day. Even if we go back to Mother Town, I don't need shoes on. Should I stand watch in my swimsuit later?"

"You're silly!"

"You're sillier," laughed Nova. "Oh! Look at tinwit! He's taking a wave!"

Both of them watched IQ-9 as he rode the surf on a board. They stood there smiling.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, what a wave!" he squeaked.

Both Derek and Nova laughed at him and his antics.

* * *

Later on, they sat together on a beach towel, eating some hamburgers that Doctor Sane had made. "Look at Conroy!" said Derek. "He's better at surfing than you are."

"He's had more practice," said Nova in a calm mood.

Hardy came up. "Gonna surf some moah, Nova?"

"Not right now. The sun's making me sleepy, and I'm just fine here with the Skipper hugging me."

IQ-9 came up. "Nova, I found you some shells."

"Hi, " yawned Nova. "Leave them right there and I'll look at them later."

Hardy walked away, looking mystified as Nova whispered in Derek's ear and then laughed against her husband's shoulder for a bit.

_We got some weird stuff goin' on heah,_ thought Hardy. _Maybe it's the salt air?_

* * *

Later on, a game of beach volleyball got started. It was a battle of the sexes: on one side, Captain Derek Wildstar, Mark Venture, Jeff Hardy, Pete Conroy, Neville Royster, and Pat Hemsford represented the males, versus Lieutenant Nova Wildstar, Holly Parsons, Laurel Hartmann, Diane Henson, Tatiana Lubyanska, and Natalie Fisher representing the females.

Needless to say, IQ-9 was more interested in this event than in anything else going on, since, now, he got to watch six swimsuit-clad females jumping around chasing a ball.

"We're ahead!" yelled Natalie as yet another ball went over the net. "Fifteen to ten! Can't you guys move?" she brayed as Hartmann and Parsons cheered. "Okay, your turn!" yelled Fisher as she got the ball back, the teams rotated, and Nova went up on her toes in the sand to serve.

The ball flew over the net, and Derek just barely got it. He bounced it up, and Conroy got it and tipped it over the net. Holly got in position to flip it up, but she missed, the ball landing in the sand right before her pink-polished toes. She cried out in frustration as the guys on the other side cheered.

"Hey, just aim it at Parsons!" yelled Conroy. "She stinks!"

"Yeah! _I_ can play better than her!" laughed Royster.

"Congratulations," said Nova sarcastically as she threw the ball at Parsons. "Now you just narrowed our lead. And it's your turn to serve, hon."

"You missed a few, too!" cried Holly.

"Not as many as you," sang back Nova. "C'mon, redeem yourself! Make them drop that!"

Holly served, with the ball going right towards Hardy. He punched it up (with Parsons wondering how he could see so well with all that hair in his eyes) and then Venture got it over the net. The ball flew up towards Nova, who banged it back over the net two-handed, just in time for Derek to spike it back over.

Nova and Diane almost crashed into each other as they intercepted the ball, both women hitting it over the net to Conroy, who got under the ball just in time, hitting it over the net with a fist. It flew over Nova, Diane, and Tatiana in the females' front row and headed right for Natalie, who tipped it over towards the front row. Tatiana tipped it over the net, where it was caught and banged back over by Venture. It headed towards Nova, who just barely got it over the net towards Derek, who got it back over towards Diane, who missed, the ball just touching her fingers as it fell behind her with a loud thud.

The guys cheered at that one, while the females all gave Henson, who should have been the strongest player, a good-natured set of boos. As she turned around to look at the ball before picking it up, Conroy got a look at her tush in her orange bikini and whistled good-naturedly. Diane noticed and blew him a kiss while smiling at Tatiana. Nova ran up to get the ball, smiling as she and Henson talked for a minute. _Both of them look damn good in swimwear,_ thought Conroy pleasantly. _Never knew that Henson was so muscular...but it looks good on her. Or that Nova was so well-toned before. Both of them must work out quite a bit. Wildstar's damn lucky with Nova...what a little fox she is. I wonder if Diane's taken?_

Conroy smiled, brought back to reality by Derek punching him in the arm. "Hey, you," said Wildstar. "Stop leering at my wife."

"She looks good in a swimsuit. Her and Henson. I wonder if Diane's seeing anyone, Wildstar?"

Derek started a little at that one. "I think she is...but..."

"But what?"

"You'll have to talk to her yourself; I'm not sure," said Derek. Then, he smiled and yelled over the net, "Team Captain! You're delaying the game!"

"Oh, shut up!" yelled back Nova with a smile. "Derek, do you want my delicate skin to get burned?"

"We're gonna burn _you _guys," mocked Derek.

"We'll see, Team Captain," said Nova. "We'll see. We'll beat you once and for all!"

"You and which army, Nova?"

"Mine," she called back, playfully sticking her tongue out at her husband (and temporary rival). "Remember, Derek, it was your idea, guys versus girls. Doesn't look so good when we're beating you, huh?"

"We'll see," sneered Derek.

"This is a game?" said Queen Starsha innocently to Alex as they came up.

"It is," explained Alex. "Derek was always pretty good at this as a kid."

"It looks more like warfare," giggled Starsha as the game resumed.

"Hey," said Alex. "It's a sport."

Starsha smiled. "Interesting sport."

Suddenly, another boat came up. The boat stopped, and the volleyball game stopped as a young man who looked like an eighteen-year old version of Derek, clad in a swimsuit, came out, along with a blondish tow-headed boy in a swimsuit.

The young man ran up to Astra and gave her a hug. "Steve!" she said with a smile. "I'm so glad you're back!"

Not far away, Sandor came up with a quizzical look. Conor didn't look annoyed by the arrival of the stranger. The volleyball game broke up for a moment as people ran over.

"How's Talia?" asked Astra.

"Fine, but she didn't come with us. She said she's not feeling well today," said Stephen Wildstar. "She's back in Mother Town, sis."

"I see."

Nova grabbed Derek's hand and pointed to the little boy, "Derek," she said with eyes misting up.

"Yes?"

"He looks like the little boy I tried to rescue off the _Westhampton__ Beach_!"

"He is," said Astra with a smile. "Nova, Derek, meet my brother Stephen, named after your Commander Sandor. And, may I introduce you to our...our sort of foster child...Jonathan Hartnell-Iiyama, of the Planet Earth."

"How did you get here safely?" asked Nova as she gave the boy a hug. "Oh, I'm so sorry Hemsford and I couldn't rescue you. We would have taken you with us," she sobbed.

"Long story," he said. "The Rikashans brought me here. One of their vessels crashed here. Steve and I were just surveying the place it went down in a fighter. Can you be my mom?"

"We'll have to see about that," asked Nova. "Don't you have a new mom already?'

"Kind of...but..."

"But what?"

"Don't know if I want to stay here or not..."

"We'll discuss this later, Jonathan," said Derek. "Right now, I'm afraid we have more important stuff to discuss."

"And?" asked Starsha as she came up.

"Mother," said Steve with a bow. "The ship is gone. From what we can tell, they made repairs and took off. Knowing them, they'll soon be back."

"When?" asked Nova.

"I don't know," said Starsha sadly. "Maybe Aliscea can help us?"

They all looked towards Aliscea, who still wore her black dress, even though she at least went barefoot on the warm beach.

"I don't know, either," said Aliscea. "I don't sense anything. You'd better return to your party. I...I'm sorry."

The party resumed, even though it was a bit more subdued than usual. _So, the Rikashans will probably be back_, thought Derek. _Great.__ What'll happen to Iscandar, then...even with the Gamilons around? Will we be fighting again? Fighting to defend Iscandar? But how can we not defend them? They've done so much to help Earth..._

* * *

**IV. PREPARATIONS ON EARTH**

**Planet Earth**

**The Great Megalopolis **

**Monday, February 22, 2202**

**1722 Hours: Spacetime**

* * *

"Dac?" said Anya Windfield with a look of innocence on her face as they walked down the aisle of the grocery store.

"Yes?" said Lieutenant Dac Windfield of the spacecraft carrier _Akag_i. The _Akagi_ was home, and the pilot was free to enjoy a few days' worth of leave with his beautiful wife before their ship took off again as part of Commodore Hoshiyama's task force; a task force whose mission was to find where the Rikashans might be based.

"I still don't quite believe that meeting with the Commander we just had. Was I dreaming that, Dac?"

"No you weren't," smiled Dac as he picked a box of cereal up off a high shelf that Anya couldn't reach, even in her somewhat high-heeled EDF service boots. "The Commander has said that our waiver aboard the _Akagi _next time she goes out in a few days includes our very own cabin, with a lock code for the hatch, and the right to have our privacy in there. He said that the news they got from the _Argo_ indicates their little experiment concerning this arrangement worked on that ship, with the exception of one couple who happens to be a pair of malcontents, so the Fleet is extending it to other ships. Looks like we're about to be the first couple in the EDF who can get away with breaking PRP on a mission."

"We've nearly broken it before," purred Anya.

"Yes, but we never crossed that line," said Dac as he held hands with her. "Although that one time we were hugging in the observation deck that last tour...well..."

"You were tempted, too?"

Dac nodded with a blush on his face. "Your wear that blue uniform very well, Anya."

"Well, you don't look bad in your uniform, either, Dac." She smiled and picked up some cooking sherry.

"What's that for?"

"I'm making a steak with wine sauce for you later on, Dac. Then, we shall celebrate our little change in circumstances, won't we?"

"Sounds good," smiled Dac. "You know we need to celebrate, especially since we just got back to Earth this morning...and I've been restraining myself for two months' worth of the longest flying frustration tour you can think of with one of Earth Defense's most adorable computer geniuses."

"You mean me, I hope," said Anya.

"I do," he said, brushing the sleeve of her white peacoat for a moment. She brushed the sleeve of his black flight jacket, and smiled.

They stopped and began to kiss right there in the aisle. A moment later, a grocery clerk robot came along. "Hey, you two. No kissing in the aisles," said the robot.

"Get lost!" said Dac in a heated tone while Anya giggled. They smiled and went back to kissing again only because the robot was watching them.

* * *

**V. EKOGARU'S PLEASURES**

**The Far Edge of the Great Magellenic Cloud**

**The Dej'jat System **

**Tuesday, February 23, 2202**

**2215 Hours: Space time**

* * *

"My Lord," said General Vergar as he and his bridge crew saluted Lord Ekogaru as he and Yvona walked together onto the main bridge of the massive Technomugar Fortress. "It is an honor to see you here for the first time in hundreds of years."

"I have cause to celebrate," said Ekogaru. "I have taken a new lover, and I wish to show her to you. Meet the only thing from Earth I consider worth keeping so far; meet, Commodore Yvona Josiah."

Yvona now wore a black and red peacoat, with a red ascot, with a tight black uniform, and knee-length black boots. She looked younger, far younger, as a cyborg. She smiled mockingly and kissed Vergar's hand. "I am most...ah..._Enchante' _by you and this bridge crew," she said with a giggle but little amusement in her dark brown eyes. "What a beautiful ship, my Lord."

"It shall be more beautiful, soon," said Ekogaru. "Tonight, a civilization shall die. We need mass to consume to keep the Grand Fortress at peak efficiency. Our target, gentlemen," said Ekogaru as he stood and a graphic came up on the screen.

"This is Dej'jat Four," he said as a blue Earth-like planet appeared. "Population, about a billion. Moderate technical level. They have something of a space fleet, a fleet which Gralnacz has been softening up for the past day or so with a fleet of twelve Goraizu Fortresses, two hundred space battleships, and an impressive amount of escorts that I decided should boil up from within this Fortress. Oh, look," said Ekogaru. "Here comes their fleet now," he said with a mocking grin. "They think they're going to attack us. Officer! How many ships?'

"Six hundred," said a trembling bridge officer. "All native types of space battleships, carriers, and the like. Data the Rikashans has sent us indicates that this fleet fought a successful delaying action when under attack by Gamilon two years ago. Then, the fighting stopped here when Gamilon was devastated by the Star Force. Since then, the Dej'jatians have thought they could live in peace, free from Gamilon threats."

"Well," said Ekogaru. "They are about to die. Patch all Fortress-based weapons here to my organ," he said as he made a huge keyboard appear from a hatch on the bridge. "Yvona and I are going to play a little duet."

"Yes, Lord!" said another officer. A moment later, Ekogaru and Yvona sat down side-by-side at a bench before the organ.

"What shall we play?" said Yvona.

"Your Johann Sebastian Bach. _Passacaglia and Fugue in C Minor,_ Yvona. I have taken a fancy to it."

Ekogaru began to play the first few foreboding notes, and Yvona smiled as, with each note, a surge of energy roared out of the Technomugar Fortress.

Beams of multicolored energy roared from the huge Fortress towards the Dej'jat space fleet. Ship after ship began to blow apart; with the Technomugar crew indifferent to the fact that brave men and women were dying as each ship was blown to bits.

"Would you help me play our little song of death?" said Ekogaru. "Yvona, you take the _addagio_."

"Yes, my Lord," she said softly. She began to play along with her Lord, and she smiled as she added both notes and energy surges to this twisted fugue of destruction.

"Lordship!" said a communications officer. "I am getting a message from the Dej'jat fleet! They beg leave to stand down and surrender. They say that we've destroyed most of their ships of the line and they're willing to obey any of our commands."

"Tell them that the request is denied," said Ekogaru with a twisted smile. "I want them all dead, and Yvona and I are having to much fun playing. Helmsman, increase our speed. Bring us to within 100,000 _gerad_ of the planet itself, and target their capital city. And, do prepare the hydrogen warheads?"

The twisted fugue continued, as aboard the Dej'jat flagship, the white-bearded, green-skinned Admiral in charge of the fleet watched the destruction with something of a sick stomach.

"Damnit, haven't they received our request for surrender, yet?" said the Admiral. "We can't fight that thing!"

"Sir, the request is denied," said his comm officer. "They intend to keep on fighting."

"What?" said the Admiral. "Those...those aren't men aboard that thing...they're...they're...devils!"

A moment later, the flagship blew apart as Yvona played a little run of notes. More fire filled space, and the Technomugar Fortress roared indifferently through the ruins of the Dej'jat Fleet towards the planet itself.

On Dej'jat, the population was in utter panic. People looked up at the approaching black mass, shimmering with lightnings and thunderbolts, covered with window upon window, an ugly, twisted metal planet that blocked out the sun of Dej'jat Four in an artificial, eerie solar eclipse. The planet shook; towers in the city crumbled, waves roared up onto the docks as the huge gravitational mass approached, eclipsing Dej'jat Four's moon in its tidal pull and sheer power.

People were in the streets, crying, pointing up at the huge mass, and praying openly with their faces to the ground.

In the Defense Headquarters of Dej'jat Four, the Prime Minister said, "Connect us to that ship."

"Done, milady," said one of her ministers.

Prime Minister Valjia trembled as she looked up and saw only a pair of burning red eyes on the screen. "Who are you, and what is the meaning of this unprovoked aggression upon my world and upon my people?" she cried.

"This is a dress rehearsal for an attack that truly matters to me in a few weeks," boomed Ekogaru's deep voice. "I am Lord Ekogaru the Great, your God. Your wrathful God. And today, I have decided to bring judgment upon Dej'jat Four. All of you shall die. And, to serve a greater good, I shall crush your world into dust."

"Why?" said Valjia as she began to beg. Tears ran down her face, and her long dark hair looked mournful as she used it to wipe her tears. "What have we done to you?"

"You offend me by your very presence," said Ekogaru. "Your planet is in my way. And I shall crush it our of existence. But, first, you shall die."

"We can offer your race slaves, resources, anything you want," pleaded Valjia. "Just show mercy to us and our children!"

"Mercy?" said Ekogaru. "I have no idea what that concept is. Goodbye, Prime Minister."

"No!" cried Valjia. "NO!"

"Lady, ten missiles are streaking towards our capital...we..."

"We what...?'

A moment later, everything was obliterated in heat and bright light as the missiles hit, and the command center and the Prime Minister ceased to exist, blown to dust in a ball of radioactive energy as nuclear weapons began to pick the capital city apart.

People on Dej'jat screamed, and cried. Some threw ashes on their heads in token of repentance, and they cried out to their God for Mercy and deliverance from the Apocalypse that had just come to their world.

But, no answer came from Heaven. Not yet. All that came from above was the strange, thrumming roar of Ekogaru's Fortress as its approach shook apart farmsteads, shook apart small towns, caused men, women, and children to die as buildings and hills fell upon them in what could only be described as Chaos.

"Enough playing games," said Ekogaru. "Vergar, prepare my Phased Density Cannon. The target is the entire planet of Dej'jat Four. They shall die. _All of them_."

"Patching through energy conduits," said Vergar.

"Locking down hyperspace compensators."

"Warp radius, Vergar?"

"Zero. We are not going anywhere this time."

"Of course," said a technician. "Grand Destruction Unit! Commence Firing Sequence!"

"Preparing hyperspatial compressors."

"Bringing up energy generators."

"All safety locks, one through two hundred and twelve being removed."

"Beginning power buildup, now Lord," said another voice.

A huge port on the Fortress opened up, and a glowing green field of energy began to shimmer deep inside the Fortress. In the Fortress, safety fields inside a three thousand kilometer long gun barrel were stabilized. Millions of Technomugar technicians set controls and locked down control screens in a sick performance as they, once again, prepared to be stagehands for the coming of Death to yet another world.

On the Bridge of the Fortress, Yvona sat impressed with the efficiency of Ekogaru's crew. Impressed, and a bit scared_. He is a God_, she thought_. What sort of Power does he have at his disposal?_

A weird hum filled the bridge as a voice announced. "Power Level, one hundred and twenty percent recharge, Lord? Locked on target: planetary core. Ready to fire. Patch through to organ console?"

Ekogaru nodded. He laid Yvona's hands on a few notes, while he tensed over his own.

"A single, discordant chord," said Ekogaru. "Help me, Yvona," he said.

"Of course, Lord. I am honored."

"fire," said Ekogaru in a soft voice.

Both of their hands came down and played a single warped chord at once.

A green lance of energy burst forth from the Fortress' main barrel, and it struck Dej'jat Four like a titanic lightning bolt. Beneath them, the very substance of the planet began to boil away. The area of impact went green, then purple, and then livid red, and then it spread over the whole world.

On Dej'jat Four, people screamed in agony and horror as their bodies began to dissolve into nothingness along with their planet. The color of the beam changed, and, as the whole planet went reddish-orange and began to disappear, some field sucked the energy ball that had been Dej'jat Four deep into a waiting maw inside the Technomugar Fortress.

Ekogaru and his people laughed and laughed and laughed as their Fortress was revitalized by the very substance of Dej'jat as the weird machines of the Fortress fed on it and sent the energy out as sustenance to the entire Technomugar Race. The sick "meal" was consumed here, and, as a hyperspatial rift opened, it was also sent to their brothers and sisters in the Blackeye Galaxy itself. In the Blackeye Galaxy, prayers of thanksgiving immediately went out to Ekogaru as his people thanked him for the nourishment he had provided by destroying both the planet and the uncounted souls who had resided upon it.

Soon, the meal continued as the weapons went dead, and Dej'jat Four's substance flamed out red like a sick star, and then faded like a ghost. Soon, a world, a people, a race, a planet, were no more.

And, Ekogaru was licking his lips as he fed on the energy; tendrils of energy came from the consoles and shot into his cyborg form as he smiled. _A great meal_, he thought. _The terror of those inhabitants was magnificent. Oh, what sustenance. Oh, what nourishment! It is better, far better, yeas, when they are terrified. All of them. Now dead, and I am dining on the substance of their corpses. I'm not sure what happened to their souls. Maybe we feed on those, too? I do not know. All I know is that...it is glorious! _

"Wonderful, isn't it, Yvona?" said Ekogaru.

Yvona was licking her lips with joy. "What a way to live, My Lord. Feeding off the weak! It's great! I love it!"

"The Rikashans will soon make a great meal when I am done with them," said Ekogaru with an evil laugh. "There is much nourishment in your galaxy. It will take...centuries... to feed upon every race there. I wonder what...Earth will taste like if I feed on it?"

On that note, Ekogaru and Yvona began to laugh. And on the bridge, everyone laughed with them.

_He is truly magnificent,_ thought Vergar with tears in his eyes. _What a great God he is._

* * *

On Iscandar, on their own private island, Nova and Derek lay snuggled in each other's arms in the warm grass near their villa. They had just finished making love. It was dark, and they were enjoying their privacy as they lay together in the grass, relaxing as the smells of the ocean and each other filled their nostrils.

"Derek, what's that?" said Nova innocently as she looked up at the stars. Far, far away, something like a red, beautiful star appeared in the depths of space in the Great Magellenic Cloud.

They lay there, awed as the star blazed up bright, and then suddenly faded into darkness. Despite the warmth, Nova shivered as she lay against Derek.

"Nova, why are you shivering?"

"Cold," she whispered. "Somewhere in my consciousness, I just heard what sounded like millions crying out in terror...and then...nothing. Nothing. Do you think we just saw a supernova, Derek?"

"I hope not. We'll have to ask Starsha in the morning. Or Aliscea. I'm not sure whom."

"I hope I didn't just imagine people dying, Derek. Or...I hope...I hope it wasn't..._him_."

"Who?"

"The Dark Lord. Could _he_ have done that? Oh, God, I hope not!" sobbed Nova.

Derek pulled Nova closer to him, close enough so she could hear his heartbeat. "I hope it wasn't him."

"But what if it was, Derek? What if it was?"

"Then we'd better pray Aliscea can stop him. Because I don't know if _we_ can."

* * *

**TO BE CONTINUED WITH ACT TWO-"Diamonds are Forever"**

* * *

**_THERE ARE NOW 93 DAYS TO THE ARRIVAL OF EKOGARU IN EARTH'S SOLAR SYSTEM_**

* * *


	2. Chapter 2

* * *

**ALTERNATE TALES OF THE STAR FORCE**

**STAR BLAZERS****---****PASSICAGLIA AND FUGUE IN C MINOR**

**Being the eighth part of THE RIKASHA INCIDENT--- BY: Frederick P. Kopetz**

NOTE: (1) Derek Wakefield has graciously granted permission to use two of his characters--namely **Dac and Anya Windfield**--in this installment of this tale. The characters of "Dac Windfield" and "Anya Windfield" are Copyright (c) 2003 by Derek A. C. Wakefield. All rights reserved. All references to and usage of these characters here was done with the express permission of Mr. Wakefield.

* * *

**ACT TWO--DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER**

* * *

**I. SECRETS AND SCROLLS**

**Planet Iscandar**

**Mother**** Town**

**Thursday, February 25, 2202**

**1222 Hours: Spacetime**

* * *

Days had passed.

With the party over with, Starsha's peace was being disturbed by the Black Tigers flying drill after drill. Of course, she knew the reason why; it was because of a possible impending Rikashan attack on the planet, as well as due to Ekogaru's approach.

According to Aliscea, the Dark Lord was now only 70,000 light-years away from Iscandar.

Aliscea, of course, knew what Ekogaru had done to Planet Dej'jat IV and its people. It was her guess that he would arrive in seven days, on March 4th. She wanted Iscandar...and herself...to be ready to stop him.

And the young woman was livid.

"You need to rest at some point, Aliscea," said Paul in a break between attack drills on the _Argo_ as he watched her poring over scrolls, taking notes, and occasionally muttering strange poems...or, incantations? "You haven't slept for thirty hours!"

"I can live _without_ sleep," she hissed. "I love you, but I can fight this battle without anyone else worrying about it! I am getting closer to knowing how we can stop him. And, stopped he must be...before he kills other innocents. He destroyed a whole world and civilization in just twenty minutes. This creature cannot be negotiated with, nor reasoned with. It can only be slain and sent back to the Pit of Hell where it belongs."

"Even Starsha needs to rest," said Paul Rosstowski. "C'mon, Aliscea!"

Nova, in her usual uniform, came into the library a moment later, walking as quietly as possible. "I made coffee if you need it, Aliscea."

"Did you sleep?"

"I had to. Derek insisted upon it."

"Well, I don't need to sleep, Nova. I am running on a spiritual energy that I don't even think you can comprehend," she said as she took the coffee with a shaking hand. "You need rest. You're mortal. I am more than mortal."

"I'm on duty, Aliscea. I'm here to check on you on the Captain's orders."

"Then what do you have to do?"

"Return to the _Argo_ and work on calibrating the radar, what else?" said Nova with a shrug. "I'm an officer in the Earth Defense Forces. I've taken an oath that won't allow me to rest now, even though my body just wants to sleep, and my soul wants to be at peace with my husband, who can't rest either right now. But you didn't take any such oath. And you do need to rest at some point, Aliscea," she said as she stopped to rub the black-clad woman's sagging shoulders. "Your eyes are so red from reading, Aliscea. At some point, you'd better get to sleep."

"Nova, thank you. If I rest just like...if you rest too long, people will die. Give me that coffee. Besides, who says I haven't taken an oath?"

"You're not in the service, Aliscea," said Nova. She began to pour some coffee at a table while Aliscea silently walked out to a balcony in the crystalline library. Kneeling bare-kneed on the cool crystal, Aliscea shut her eyes, and abruptly put up her hands.

Fire came out of both of her palms. She shut her eyes, muttered something that sounded like a prayer, and the fire streaked forth into the sky, roaring out like a wave-motion gun energy surge far, far up into Iscandar's atmosphere, and out into deep space.

Nova came out onto the balcony and nearly dropped the coffee.

"Uh...thank Heavens you're on _our_ side," she stammered.

"Not enough, yet," said the trembling Aliscea. "Not far enough. Not far enough. I need that coffee."

Nova handed Aliscea a cup of coffee. She sipped at it as Paul ran out. "Weak," muttered the Pellian. "Too weak. Nova, damnit, make this stuff stronger, would you? I need to stay awake...Need...to...stay...aw..."

Aliscea abruptly fell down in her tracks like a dead thing. "I...didn't find what we need...not here...not here. Need to go to the colleges...of...Arandia, Nova."

"We'll get you what you need," said Nova in a soft but firm voice as Paul ran up. "Right now, you'd better let us get you out of here and to a bed. Before you...go into a coma or something."

Paul Rosstowski came up just as Nova, with a bit of a struggle, lifted up the young Pellian, who was almost her own weight.

"I can take her, Nova."

"You're more exhausted than she is," Nova snapped. "I can carry her back to the palace. There, Starsha and I can put her to bed. And you, too."

"Nova, you're going to rip some muscles someplace. She's nearly as heavy as you are, you stupid woman. Maybe heavier."

"Well, if you're so bloody _worried_, help me by getting her ankles or something. _C'mon_!"

A shaky Rosstowski held his wife by her ankles. Together, he and Nova carried Aliscea back to Starsha's palace.

* * *

A while later, Nova dabbed at the sleeping Aliscea's forehead with a washcloth. "She'll be all right, Derek."

"What about you?" he said. "Nova, you've damn near sweated through your uniform...it's soaked."

"I'll live. Just pretend you sent me out there to do punishment drills or something like that."

"But you can't walk around in that...uh...

"So? I can take it off and wash up," she said. "I know where Starsha's tub is by now. I have a spare uniform here. Why don't you join me, Captain? We need a short breather before we go back to those drills and then dive off Diamond Island later today. Half an hour in the hot water will do it...just like a hot spring back home?"

"Sure you're all right?" he said as Nova leaned over a chair and panted.

"I'll survive. I've had four hours' worth of sleep."

"You're all driving yourselves so hard," said Starsha. She threw a light shawl over Nova's shoulders.

"Stop coddling us!" said Derek. "I mean no disrespect, Queen Starsha, but we're warriors. We have an enemy coming in a few days that can eat Gamilon and Iscandar for lunch and then dine on Earth for dessert. This isn't like our last time on Iscandar where we could rest for a month. We took advantage of your hospitality and rested for a few days. We had a few laughs. But, now, it's time to get back to work. Nothing...uh...meant...but...it's our job to help defend you. Ours, Desslok's and Aliscea's. And yours, too."

"You should understand, both of you, that this is a battle that will not be fought with weapons."

"Yes, Starsha, but there's a Rikashan Fleet coming!" said Nova. "They did so many terrible things at Pellias. They...they killed children and ravished women, Queen Starsha. They set fire to people's homes for fun. Do you want to see an invasion force marching on Mother Town?"

Starsha just stood in silence. "It won't come to that, Nova. I've made up my mind. So has Aliscea. Now, please go, both of you." She looked at them with a sad smile. "Do what you need to do. I shall speak to you later."

Then, Starsha left.

"Derek, I can take a shower on the ship," said Nova after a moment. "Five minutes, and I'll be back on the bridge."

Captain Wildstar stood in silence. "Let's at least use that bath as long as we're here. The tea is good."

Nova smiled at him. "Let's go."

* * *

A few minutes later, their uniforms were off in a pile, with Nova's fresh uniform laid out in on the floor of one of Starsha's hot spring rooms beneath the palace. The room was lined with reddish rock.

"Not bad," said Derek as he lowered himself into the steaming water. "Nice of her and Alex to point this room out to us."

Nova nodded as she lay back in the water. "What I don't need is to fall asleep and miss that drill. What I do need is to get some of that pain out of my legs. Mmmmm. When do we have to be back again?" she asked.

Derek looked at his chronometer. "Thirteen hundred."

"Do you...hmmm?" said Nova softly as she cuddled against him.

"Not this afternoon, Nova. I have a headache."

"Is that headache about 62,000 metric tons and about 263 meters long?" asked Nova with a hint of mischief.

Derek nodded.

"That headache," smiled Nova. "I've got my own headache. She sent me an e-mail today."

"Your mother?"

"Nope," smiled Nova. "My cousin Allison."

"The ditzy blonde?" teased Derek.

"I take some exception to that," said Nova with a half-annoyed expression. "I am a blonde. Okay...it's honey or ash-blonde...but," she said as she looked at her hair.

"Okay. Allison is a full blonde. And she's ditzy."

"Bubbly, yes. Ditzy, no."

"I might take issue to that," said Derek. "But...there was the one time I met her...when she came by our house after we got back from our honeymoon?"

"Derek, she's had a hard life. She lost her parents too, you know. Maybe that's part of why I relate to you so well. Having her live with us from about the time I was ten until I left for college...and she moved in with us later in the summer after I came back from that trip to Aunt Yvona's..."

"Seriously," said Derek. "I remember what she was like the one time I met her...I remember she was kind of like you...cute, somewhat smart...but sad..."

**Flashback:** **Wednesday, January 6, 2202**

**AT Derek and Nova Wildstar's Residence**

**The Great Megalopolis...**

* * *

It was in the afternoon...

"Derek, what are you doing?" asked Nova from the kitchen.

"Working on this table in the dining room," replied Derek. "Leaves are weird. Do you know how hard it is to polish these artificial wood tables, Nova?"

"Let me see," said Nova as she came into the room. She had on a black sweater, white apron, corduroy slacks, and went barefoot. Derek wore jeans, a red sweater, and had his socks on. She ran a finger over the tabletop. "Still some dust."

"Hey, that's not fair!"

Nova giggled. "Remember how you burned me during that inspection that time on the way to Iscandar? Turnabout is fair play, Skipper!"

At that, their doorbell rang.

"Who can _that _be?" said Captain Wildstar.

"I'll get it, Derek."

He followed Nova, and when the door opened, he beheld a young woman with waist-length golden-blonde hair who looked very young, maybe twenty-one. She was carrying a brown simulated suede jacket in one hand, and wore a pink sweater, brown faux suede jumper, faded denim skirt, and sandals.

"Allison!" cried Nova. "When did you get leave?"

"I got liberty last night," said Allison as she threw her coat on a chair in the foyer and hugged her cousin. Nova then closed the door and ended up giggling as Allison swept her up off her feet and twirled her around for a moment.

"Hey! You've gotten strong!" laughed Nova as she held hands with her slightly shorter cousin. "First time you've been able to pick _me_ up! And what's this, wearing sandals in January with snow on the ground out there? Are you nuts?"

"I got a staff car for my leave," said Allison. "Besides, you're running around barefoot!"

"Oh, I'm in the house cooking. Allison, get rid of those shoes and meet us in the kitchen."

"Okay," she said, smiling as she noticed Derek while taking her shoes off. "Nova, is this your famous booooyfrriend?"

Derek cleared his throat. "Miss Forrester, we are married."

"Just teasing my cousin, sir," smiled Allison.

"You don't just tease me, you drive me up the wall!" laughed Nova.

"Nova, what are you up to in there?" said Derek.

"Trying to learn how to make a Hollandaise sauce the right way. Never done it before."

"You never made that on the _Argo_?"

"Haven't you heard?" said Allison. "She has a habit of making ovens explode."

"I do not!" cried Nova as she stirred a pot of sauce on the stove.

"Do too."

"Do not!" cried Nova, shaking a spoon at her cousin. Derek looked rather bemused. "Funny, you treat her the same way Alex treated me at times."

"Well, who's older?" said Nova.

"If she gets into the 'I'm prettier than you' bit, I'm gonna barf," laughed Allison. "Seriously, you get the blender I sent for the wedding yet?"

"We did," said Nova.

"What about your Aussie hat?" said Allison.

"Excuse me," said Nova. "Derek, you watch that," she said, leaving a spoon in his hand. She ran into the master bedroom and came back a moment later wearing a brown bush campaign hat. "You mean this?"

Allison laughed. "Oh, it looks good on you, cuz!"

"Looks good on you, too," said Nova as she smiled and put it on Allison's head.

At that, all three of them had laughed...

* * *

"Nice memory," said Derek as he leaned back in the water. "Earth. Our house."

"Home," said Nova quietly. She looked at him with glistening eyes. "We've had a lot of adventures, but...I wish we were home now. I wish this war was over. We're facing the possible extinction of the human race again, Derek! This is horrible! When does it end?"

Derek held his wife in the steaming water for a minute. "Nova, I don't know. C'mon...let's get back to the ship. We have that drill."

Nova shut her eyes, wiped away the tears, and got out of the water. Then, she stood there while Derek began to dry her off, and smiled as she dried him.

As they dried each other, Nova giggled as Derek began to kiss her and tickle her. Finally, they fell down laughing together on top of the towels, looking into each other's eyes after they exchanged a sweet kiss.

"I thought you said you had a _headach_e, Derek!" Nova said as her husband ran his hands up and down her smooth back.

"You're curing that headache."

"We're…running out of time," said Nova as she received some more kisses, and caresses.

"I know we're running out of time. We can be quick about this!"

"What if Alex comes down here?" said Nova.

"He won't."

"Why?"

"The door's closed. And locked."

"You devil," said Nova as she stroked her husband's hair and went back to kissing him.

A precious few minutes passed, during which they forgot about everything, everything, that is, except for each other, as they enjoyed each other in the warm, steaming room in an interlude that was just as steamy as the room. Finally, when they were done, both of them finished drying off, they dressed, and then left to get back to work for the rest of this day and the beginning of the next day...

* * *

**II. BLOOD AND HONOR**

**Earth's Solar System**

**Beyond the Oort Cloud **

**Friday, February 26, 2202**

**1116 Hours: Spacetime**

* * *

The EDF space battleship _Cassiopeia _led her task group through a lane of asteroids and space trash.

"So far, so good," said Commodore Ryu Hoshiyama on the bridge of his flagship. "Continue to assume standard formation."

"Sir," said the communications officer of the _Andromeda-_class space battleship. "Captain Siegel from the _Akagi _called in. Routine report," he said as he read from the tape. "The spacecraft carrier is about to change squadrons. They're receiving their BARCAP back in and are about to launch another one as planned."

"Excellent. Tell the rest of the task group to keep pace and speed."

"Roger."

On the _Akagi_, Dac Windfield's plane had just hit the deck. Dac smiled a smug, self-confident, almost arrogant smile as his plane hit the magnetic arresting field. _Damn fun flying amongst all of those asteroids_, he thought. _Feels like nothing can go wrong today. I'm on top of the world! I'm hot!_

As he steered his plane into the hangar deck, he grinned a little as he saw a slender figure with flowing blonde hair running up to his plane.

"Anya! What are you doing down here?"

Anya leaned up and kissed Dac as he began to climb out of the cockpit. "Just your wife saying that she got her watch done a little early and would like you to meet her for a talk in our cabin. Our cabin," she smiled. "Funny concept."

"Feels like the whole universe has just gone damn weird," he said. "Stick around...have to check in."

"Noisy down here," said Anya, covering her ears as another plane banged its way in.

"That's because this is a Tigers' Den. Just like Hardy always said..."

"And what did he always say...?"

* * *

On the _Cassiopeia_, a spread of objects suddenly appeared on the radar. "Radar contacts, at least forty objects..." said her radar officer, Fujiko Abe. "Port, and starboard, twenty-five degrees. Range, fifteen megameters, speed twenty space knots. _What the...?_ Energy surge from one of those ships? Switching to video panel..."

They looked up and suddenly saw a Rikashan fleet spread out before them. The lead ship was ugly and black. A light was growing at its bow.

"What..? said Hoshiyama. "All ships...battle stations, battle stations, helm prepare for evasive..."

The helmsman began to evade, and the sirens went on for just a moment. But, a moment later, the greenish light grew brighter.

* * *

"DI'ATS cannon ready, Baron!" said Ter'garv triumphantly aboard the _B'eoneraze._

"At last," smiled Baron Anton Cha'rif. "Target practice before we begin the invasion of Earth. Let's see how those pale scum like our surge cannon!"

"Begin ten-second countdown on rapid charge!" he yelled. "Ten. Nine! Eight! Seven. Six. Five. Four. Three. Two...One...FIRE!" yelled Cha'rif as he hit the firing levers on his ornate, evil-looking, motorcycle-like firing handlebars."

The _B'eoneraze's_ Rikashan equivalent of the wave motion gun fired, blasting livid greenish-blue death into the Earth task force.

* * *

"Helm, I said, evasive maneuvers...!" cried Hoshiyama on the _Cassiopeia _as the space battleship began to dissolve like ice cream on a hot day in the livid green blast. "NOOO!"

On the _Akagi_, Dac Windfield put down the clipboard holding the flight plan for what would be the very last time. All of a sudden, as he was beginning to take Anya's hand, the klaxons went off. He jumped back, startled while Anya looked at him like a frightened deer. "Dac?" she asked. "What's going...? Is this a _drill_?"

"Anya, we'd better get to our combat..." said Dac. Anya tensed to run off to the computer bloc. Dac took a deep breath, preparing to run to his fighter, but then had no time to take another as the whole flight deck suddenly and abruptly burst into a weird white hell. Dac Windfield began to feel as if he was spinning. "Anya?" he called. "Anya?"

"I'm right here," she said. "Where are we?"

"Not dead, that's for sure...This is weird..."

They felt their existence spinning around them, and thought they saw a shadowy glimpse of a female face smiling at them.

"Who are you?"

All they saw was a wink...and then, suddenly, they disappeared, strangely alive and intact. They flew off together to their final destination like startled birds. So ends their place in this tale, and in this universe. Their Maker, perhaps, was chuckling over this rather...odd...turn of events.

Somewhere in the space between universes, a man smoking a pipe, a former travelling salesman, now a servant of a mad space computer, saw the events, smiled, and said, "Way to Go... Mistress. Bob thanks you."

Unfortunately, this oddball salvation did not apply to the rest of the _Akagi's_ crew.

A moment later, with a roar and a scream of grinding metal, without a chance to fight or fire a shot, the spacecraft carrier _Akagi _tumbled in the energy surge, her stern dissolving into oblivion, followed by her bow. Captain Siegel cried out in a roaring scream of agony and then died along with his ship as the _Akagi_ met her end like her ancient namesake, the difference being that this _Akagi_ never sank...instead, she merely dissolved, melting into nothingness in a few seconds.

Indeed, the whole task force dissolved into nothingness. The ships farthest from the maelstrom had enough time to send a few blips of distress calls back to Earth before likewise fading into nothingness in agony like the crews and flight group of the _Cassiopeia_ and _Akagi. _The surge of energy spread out into space, with a residual beam roaring off with explosion after explosion into the Oort Cloud as countless asteroids died along with the Earth task group.

The beam faded into nothingness. "Fine move," said Ter'garv with a smile.

"They were just beginning to fight," said Cha'rif. "My mentally controlled warp put us in just the right spot. Exhausting, but it will be worth it when we start the war. That, and our tachyonic supercharger has just enabled us to catch an Earth Fleet and worst them by surprise with their own greatest weapon!" The Rikashan Baron threw back his head and laughed. "When we go further into this system, they shall be easy to defeat."

"Destination?" said Ter'garv.

"Warp us back out towards Procyon. We cut off that Cometine group...what was left of it, at Sirius and my other forces are turning that base into Rikashan territory now. We have work to do at Procyon to take a second base. Then, with our two bases, we can pick off the Terrans in raids at our leisure."

"Yes, like rats," said Ter'garv. "But what about the Star Force?"

"I need to meditate to find out where they are. Perhaps they're at Iscandar? If so...we must head there. Aliscea is waiting for us, so we must be careful. But, nothing to bolster my confidence like a sweet victory!"

"Yes...a massacre," said Ter'garv with a grin.

At that, both men laughed.

* * *

**III. INVESTIGATIONS**

**Planet Iscandar**

**Space Battleship _Argo_**

**Central Tactics Room**

**Saturday, February 27, 2202**

**1000 Hours: Spacetime**

* * *

"Captain Wildstar, in case something happens, the ship is now full battle-ready," said Stephen Sandor as the crew stood around a graphic in the Central Tactics Room.

"How are we doing with the Black Tigers, Conroy?" asked Derek.

"Our remaining planes are as ready for battle as they ever will be," said Conroy.

"Good. Continue the practice flights."

"If we have Iscandar's approval?" said Conroy.

Not far away, Alex Wildstar, invited as an observer and as Starsha's representative, nodded. "Starsha approves. Also, in the next day or so, we're going to begin long range-scans from our two surviving exploration corvettes. We'll set up a protocol for that information to be downloaded to the Argo along with what you're getting from the...the Gamilons."

"Thank you," said Derek. "General Helmeyer?" he asked, looking towards the Gamilon liaison whom Starsha had finally permitted on Iscandar as of yesterday. Aliscea and Alex had finally convinced her that it was necessary to cooperate with Gamilon, at least for the duration of this crisis.

"Yes, Captain," said the chubby brown-haired Gamilon officer. "On Leader Desslok's orders, now that we have a _modus operandi_ with the Government of Iscandar we have begun both organized patrols of the Sanzar System, as well as regular scans from our base at the edge of the System. The scan results are regularly being downloaded to both the _Argo _and a computer system in Mother Town. Per Starsha's request, we will still not base any offensive craft here on Iscandar. However, Desslok would like the Iscandarian Government to consider opening a patrol station base here on Iscandar."

"For what purpose?" asked Alex.

"To establish a permanent fighter base here on Iscandar. That way, after the _Argo_ leaves, eventually, there could be a permanent fighter screen around Iscandar."

"That will be taken under consultation, General," said Alex in a formal voice.

"Consort," said Derek formally. "I have heard from the Earth Government. We would like to make a similar offer. It is my understanding that an Earth Task Force at the edge of our solar system could be diverted here to Iscandar to..."

An enlisted man from Communications stopped before Captain Wildstar. "Sir, I hate to interrupt, but we've just received this message from Earth through the Gamilon relay net system, accounting for the two-hour delay, of course..."

"Hand me the message," said Derek. He read the message and said, "Ladies and Gentlemen, I regret to inform you that the First Special Task Force was destroyed by the Rikashans in a sneak attack at the edge of our solar system yesterday. Twenty ships and over a thousand men and women lost."

"Oh, no!" cried Nova.

"Are the Texans...lost?" asked Hardy.

Derek nodded.

"Damn!" said Hardy. "I had some friends in that squadrohn!" _Poor Windfield,_ he thought with gritted teeth.

"I know," said Captain Wildstar. "A lot of those men and women would have made good Black Tigers. All hands, a salute and moment of silence for the First Special Task Force."

The Terran soldiers present saluted. Finally, they turned back towards Captain Wildstar. "Well, we can't divert that Task Force here to Iscandar now. But, the Earth Government would still...at some point, I am assuming...I am not sure when...like to base some planes here on Iscandar...if we can manage it."

"You'd better consult with them first," said Alex. "Earth might need every plane it can get."

"But we can't forget about Iscandar!" said Nova.

"True, but you can't forget your own defenses, either," said Alex.

"About our defenses," said Aliscea. "I think I know how I can attack Ekogaru's Fortress."

Every eye turned to her. "I know how, but I need to know where on the Fortress I need to hit it...and the Dark Lord. The libraries of Mother Town do not include Laras' plans. I think they can only be found, if they can be found at all, in the sunken colleges of Arandia."

"That's dangerous," said Alex.

"But, it's the only way we can do it," said Derek. "I have two divers volunteered for this mission already. When we're done here, I'll send them over to the Palace in Mother Town. They'll need plans of Arandia to make this work."

"All right...I shall inform Queen Starsha," said Alex. "When can the divers be ready?"

"In a while," said Derek.

* * *

**IV. DIAMOND ISLAND REVISITED**

**Planet Iscandar**

**Mother**** Town**

**Saturday, February 27, 2202**

**1230 Hours: Spacetime**

* * *

"You know I'm opposed to this," said Queen Starsha a while later as she confronted Derek, Nova, IQ-9 and Alex in her palace.

"We really have no choice, Queen Starsha," said Derek. He wore a diving hood, one-piece wetsuit jacket with crotch strap in red and white, but his legs would be bare in the ocean on account of the very warm tropical waters; thus, his leggings and aqua boots were left behind. Nova also wore similar attire, save that her wetsuit was gold and black. (Derek thought she looked far better bare-legged in her brief wetsuit than he did, but that was beside the point) Both of them were ready to go diving; their fins, masks, and air tanks were outside in a Jet Recon Boat.

"It's very unsafe around Arandia," stressed Starsha. "Diamond Island is still very unstable."

"But we have no other place to go to get the information we need," said Nova. "And, at least, I've been on Diamond Island before. I have some idea of where to go."

Queen Starsha shut her eyes and sighed. "It's very dangerous..."

"But Starsha," said Alex. "We'll be in more danger if Ekogaru can't be stopped. And Aliscea requires the information to stop him."

Starsha sat back down in her chair. Finally, she said, "In the libraries that Aliscea was going through, you can find maps of the ancient psionic colleges of Arandia. The college you would need to investigate would be that of the Latraxian Order. They had an extensive library; much of which was on crystalline holographic tablets. Luckily, a catalogue of that information still exists. The library should still be accessible underwater. Please try to move quickly and be careful about this."

"Queen Starsha, I shall be diving with them," said IQ-9. "I would do anything to protect Nova and the Captain."

"You be careful down there," said Nova. "_No_ games today."

"I know the difference between work and fun, Nova," said IQ. "I also can carry a large spear gun."

"Thanks," said Derek. "Queen Starsha, please tell us which library we need to investigate, and we can go..."

"I will certainly do that," she said.

* * *

A while later, the man, woman and robot sat in the Great Library of Mother Town, poring over old books and maps.

"That's it," said Nova as she excitedly jumped up and stood up on tiptoes to point at something on the map. She went barefoot without her swim fins in the cool, crystalline-walled library. "Derek, this is exactly where we need to look on the island. There was a small peninsula in the city at the edge of the island. The College of the Latraxians is right here at the southeastern edge. We know where to find the site of Diamond Island."

"Then, let's go when you're done," he said. "You're copying this onto waterproof film, Nova?"

She nodded; she was tracing the map onto something like a sheet of clear acrylic. "I'm making two copies...one for me, and one for you. IQ, record this map in your memory, please."

"I will," he said, floating his upper done up over the table so he could memorize the map.

"This will be interesting," said Derek. "I've never gone scuba diving with you on a mission before."

"Remember; we can't come up too fast," added Nova. "And we may have to watch out for undersea growth. Especially the odd plant life. That's what I'm worried about."

"What about the animal life?"

"We can handle that," she said. "We both know how to survive underwater, don't we?"

"I hope you're not missing anything, Nova," said IQ-9.

"I don't think I am. We're set on air; we have all the supplies we need. I even know which file drawer to open when we get into that submerged library."

"Okay, then, let's go," said Derek.

* * *

On the _Argo,_ a simulation was nearing its end on the first bridge. On the first bridge, the protective shield was closed and simulations of space were showing on the main screen, so it looked to them as if the ship had been in space. "Radar says that we've taken care of the enemy fleet with our guns, sir," said Raiden.

"No damage to the helm; all systems normal," said Parsons at the _Argo's_ helm.

"Good, take us back to Iscandar," said Venture, who was commanding the ship from the Captain's console at the aft part of the bridge. It felt odd for him to be sitting there, but Captain Wildstar had deviated the normal Officer of the Deck procedure so that the commanding officer had some familiarity with the Captain's controls. In other such simulations during the week, Yamazaki, Dash, and Nova had also been introduced to the Captain's station when Derek had stuck them in command.

"Engines normal," said Yamazaki.

"Good. We're going to do this again as a practice-intensity exercise later on today between Iscandar and Gamilon with a Gamilon Fleet opposing us," said Venture.

"Who's going to command the ship then?" said Rosstowski.

"No one knows," said Venture. "The way the Captain's been going lately, it could even be you."

"Great," said Paul.

"This is weird," said Homer. "Why's he doing this?"

"Wildstar wants any one of us to be able to assume command ASAP if we're in battle and any one of us gets killed," said Venture. "Homer, I wouldn't do this if I were the Captain, but Wildstar's probably going to give you your turn at some point."

"Now, let me give you your grades," said Venture as he hit some keys on his console. "All of you were in the nineties except for Voorhees at the tactical radar. Todd, you only get an eighty-nine. You should be more alert next time we have you on station up here."

"I'm sorry, sir," said Voorhees.

Doctor Sane showed up a moment later. "First Officer, we've completed our psychiatric examination of Mister Hartcliffe as to his fitness to stand trial."

"And what have you learned?"

"He's ready for Court-Martial, sir," said Doctor Sane. "I'd recommend that the Court-Martial board begin his trial tomorrow before anything else can happen. I'd have them do it today, but we can't do that with Nova on that survey mission around the site of Diamond Island with the Captain. I've got him stitched up; he's healing from his suicide attempt, and the man's going back into the brig in his skivvies under a suicide watch."

"Thanks for letting me know," said Venture.

* * *

Down in the brig, Bryan Hartcliffe sat moping in nothing but his boxer shorts. Now, he had no writing instruments, no books, no glasses...nothing except for the minimal underpants he had on, and he ate his meals under the watchful eye of a Marine guard and a medic and had to return all of the plastic utensils when he was done.

He heard a bang on the door. "Mister Hartcliffe, you have a visitor," said a cold voice. "Stand to attention."

Hartcliffe came to attention but smiled a little as the door whizzed open and Angie was revealed.

"Hi, Bryan," she said shyly. "I've been doing some thinking."

"Yes?"

"I'd like to give our marriage another shot. I've heard you still might have a career after all of this is over with, so I wanted to say that I forgive you for all the asinine stuff you've done in the past few weeks. Permission to hug the prisoner, Sergeant?"

"I'll grant it just this once," said the big African-American guarding Hartcliffe. "Just don't pass the man anything, Mrs. Hartcliffe."

Angie then hugged Bryan. "Also, since I'm feeling better," she whispered, "Maybe we can try...you know...again in our cabin when you serve your sentence?"

"Thanks," said Bryan. "Encourages me a little to know ya still love me."

"God knows why, but I do," she said, hugging him tighter.

"Break the cinch," snapped the Marine. Angie stepped back. "By the way, I've heard you go on trial tomorrow, Bryan."

"Hmmh," he said. "Hope they give me a chance to prepare a good defense..."

"What do you mean?" she said.

"I want to be me own lawyer."

"Oh...Bryan," said Angie. "You're in enough trouble already. I wouldn't recommend it."

"I would..."

"Please, Bryan," said Angie with tears in her eyes. "Please don't."

"Maybe I won't," he said. "Dunno."

"Your time's over Mrs. Hartcliffe," said the medic. "Mister Hartcliffe, drop your skivvies and bend over to be searched."

"Goodbye, Bryan," said Angie.

"Bye, Angie," said Bryan as he began to lower his shorts. "Love you!"

"You too," she said as she was led away by another Marine guard.

* * *

A while later, a Jet Recon Boat bobbed in the ocean of Iscandar off the site of Diamond Island. It was secured to a peak of the undersea island with a grappling anchor.

"IQ-9," said Captain Wildstar. "I've decided I want you to stay with the ship but keep in touch with us via UHF radio in case we need assistance, he said. He had on his mask, wet hood with built-in headset, breathing mask and regulator with the appropriate radio mike, as well as a weight belt, divers' knife, gas gun and mesh carryall bag. He was putting his swim fins on over his own wet bare feet.

Nova was already in the water; she had on an identical setup, but she carried a spear gun, and, of course, she also had the all-important map. "Remember, you two have only sixty minutes' worth of air," said IQ. "Do what you have to do quickly, and watch out for seismic disturbances. Be careful."

"Thanks," said Nova over her radio uplink. Derek joined her in the water a moment later. "It _is _warm," he said, feeling the ocean on his bare legs.

"Yes, it feels good! But this is no pleasure dive. Let's move as quickly as we can, Derek."

"Good idea," he said. "I'll swim point."

They released in air in the buoyancy bladders in their belts and went down beneath the waves, with Derek leading the way in his white and red wetsuit, followed by Nova in her gold and black wetsuit.

* * *

Underwater, the area around Diamond Island was a semi-darkened, strange wonderland of seaweed and Iscandarian fish of various differing colors similar to many of the tropical fish that had once filled the seas of Earth. Now, there were only a few such species left. Many of them were extinct on Earth and gone forever.

"How do you like the view?" asked Derek.

"Beautiful," said Nova in awe. "We didn't go down this deep when we dove off our island the other day..."

"Considering we had on nothing but snorkels and ordinary swimwear, we couldn't go that deep," said Derek. "I think I see Arandia up ahead."

They looked down. Diamond Island glittered magnificently as the filtered sunlight reflected off the diamond crystals. They swam past the peak that had once been the island's highest mountain. It looked impressive underwater.

"Where did Sparks and his bunch hold you?" asked Derek.

"Down there, by the mouth of that cave," said Nova softly. "They said...they said I was going to have my wedding night with all of them in there."

"Not a nice place," said Derek.

"They said they were going to just...strip me...and make me service them right on the floor of the cave," said Nova. "They were sort of starting to cut my uniform off when the quake hit."

"That's why you looked disheveled when you were rescued," said Derek as they swam past the cave.

Nova just said. "Uh-huh..." in a depressed voice. As she looked at the cave for a moment, one of her swim fins struck something. With dust drifting up against her toes, which were exposed in her swim fins, she picked up the growth-encrusted object. She looked at it with curiosity, and then a gasp of revulsion escaped her lips.

"Nova, what's wrong?" he asked.

Nova just silently held up the object; with the growth off, it was revealed to be a crumbling human skull.

"I just found Sparks," she said in a quavering voice. "Or...what's left of him..."

"How do you know it's him?"

"The pattern of the fillings and dental work," she said, looking at the teeth. "I still remember it. He had pretty bad teeth. I helped Doctor Sane work on them once."

"Should we take him with us?" said Derek quietly.

Nova looked at the skull...it was crumbling away as she held it. "No," she said. "The seas of Iscandar have most of him now...let this much of him go back to its resting place," she said as she let go of the skull. Sparks' grinning, skeletal face looked up at them one last time as the skull drifted downwards, disappearing into the depths. "The rest of the mutineers are probably still down here, too, Derek," said Nova. "I think I saw them fall into a crevasse when the quake hit. I nearly went down there to join them. That's why my wrist was snapped."

"So, if things were different..."

"I'd be buried down here, too," said Nova. "Let's get out of here, Derek. This place is a graveyard. Almost like that shipwreck I investigated."

With bubbles going up around them, they swam on.

Finally, after about twenty minutes, they had entered the lost city of Arandia. Following their map, they swam down towards a peninsula, and entered a large hall; the library of the Latraxian psionic college.

"What we need is right here," said Nova. She flicked on a small light at her belt, and Derek followed her towards some submerged file drawers.

"First epoch," murmured Nova softly. "First era, tenth century," she said as she scrubbed some gunk off one of the labels on the drawers. "It'd be in here."

Nova and Derek pulled the drawer open; all sorts of bubbles and dust came up.

The crystalline tablets were intact.

"I can't see much on these except for a few runes," said Derek.

"They're holographic; that's why," said Nova. "We'll have to put them in the reader back in the Great Library in Mother Town. _Laras' Meditations..._" she said, reading off a title and translating it. "Derek, I think we found it!" she said in an excited voice. "_Dellat__ pa-shur, ellad..."_ she read in Iscandarian. "First volume, Temporal Mechanics..." She read more. "_Ellun__ del-enshanar, gallets_! Self-propelled Colony World! She cried. "The plans are right here, Derek! I've got my hands on them!" she said in a very enthusiastic voice. "There's four tablets; they cover all of Laras' work on the Colony World, as they called it! Here...you take two...I'll take two," she said, handing her husband the tablets. "Mission accomplished! Thank God!"

"Now we just have to hope that we can read these and that Aliscea can make sense of them in the next few days," said Derek.

"I hope so, too," said Nova. She gave her husband a quick hug underwater. "This is the first glimmer of hope that we can stop the Dark Lord. Let's go!"

After Derek secured his tablets, and Nova secured hers, they began to swim out of the library. Then, with a few kicks of their fins, Arandia was left behind in its watery grave. The couple slowly began to head for the surface.

But, as they swam along, Nova felt something go around her bare calf. She gasped, and looked down.

Some Iscandarian sea creature, which looked like an aquatic version of a Protozoan of Pluto, had Nova in its grasp.

"Derek!" she cried.

"Are you all right?"

"It's heavy. Pulling me down! Luckily, it's not stinging or anything...I don't want to use the spear gun on it unless I have to! A spear would kill it."

Derek got his cue. He fired a dart from his gas gun at the creature. When it hit it, it let go of Nova, writhing before her vigilant eyes for a moment before it became drowsy thanks to the injection of anesthetic and was carried away on the warm currents of the blue water. The diving lantern at her belt shone against it as it drifted off; it would have looked beautiful if it hadn't been a threat.

"That was a _close_ one," she said. "I don't like this."

As if to punctuate her point, the island shook. They felt the tremor underwater, and saw a few diamond pebbles collapsing around them.

"Derek, this whole place is coming down!"

"I know," said Derek as he swam harder.

"This is getting too damn close for comfort," said Nova.

"Yeah...too close," replied Derek. "Luckily, nothing else alive is around." He read his chronometer. "We have fifteen minutes' of air left. Let's get out of here."

Nova nodded, watching her husband's toes flex in his swim fins as his strong legs propelled him away. Nova followed, pleased for the exercise; she liked swimming a tad more than Derek did.

However, she was to have plenty more exercise in a moment.

"Derek," she cried as something grabbed the swim fin off her right foot. "Are you playing games?"

."I'm ahead of you," he said irritably. "Nova, what's..."

Nova turned her head and screamed.

She was looking right down the mouth of a shark.

She turned as fast as she could in one swim fin and one bare foot. The shark snapped at her bottom. She undid the safety on her spear gun and flipped around

"Derek!" she cried. "HELP!"

Derek swam up, just in enough time to see the brute snapping at the front of her wetsuit. It tore a rip in it, and Nova thrashed and struggled as she tried to get a bead on the creature; it was hard to see because everything was bubbles. Her leg and one buttock were also bleeding from nicks; the shark grew more enraged as it smelled Nova's blood.

Another shark came along and pulled one of Derek's swim fins off. Then, it attacked his wetsuit, ripping it open at the stomach in almost the same place that Nova's suit was torn. In rage and anger, he turned, firing a gas charge at the shark that was attacking him. The plechette hit the shark, and, in a moment, it took hold; the groggy beast got away. Derek then turned to help his partner. Nova just barely evaded her shark as it came at her again. With gritted teeth inside her mask, she fired her spear gun at it. The spear went through the creature, killing it just before it killed Nova.

Derek looked her over and tried to comfort her in the water.

"It's all right," he said. "Nova, honey, it's all right. My God, your clothes are torn..."

"Yours too, hon. Damn these creatures!" she cried. "At least I'm alive...and I still have the tablets."

"Nova, let's go..."

Finally, after a while, they both broke the surface near the Jet Recon Boat.

"You took too long," said IQ-9. "I was getting worried about both of you. I...Nova...your...suit is...torn...nice..."

"No cracks," yelled Nova. "Shark almost got us! Look at me! I'm...I'm bleeding!"

"It's all right, Nova," said IQ. He tried to comfort her with a hug.

Nova pushed IQ's hand away from her exposed and cut abdomen. "IQ, please...it hurts!"

"Please let her go! We're all right," said Derek. He and Nova got into the Jet Recon Boat with their tablets with IQ's help and got rid of their swim fins, tanks, and weight belts.

"What was that other creature, Nova...before the shark?" asked Derek.

"I think that was just a _Dellanz,_" she sobbed as Derek cleaned her wounds with materials from the first-aid kit. "_Ouch!_"

"You okay?"

"Yeah..." said Nova in a pained tone of voice.

"A Dellanz?" asked Derek. "Uh, what's that?"

"A stingless sort of jellyfish, Derek. They're native only to Iscandar. They're curious but harmless. I met one once while diving here back in 2200. Luckily, I had one of your gas guns on me that day. I should have brought one, but I thought you should've taken it. I was worried about sharks...like the sort we met down there!"

"Like him?" pointed out IQ-9.

Nova gasped as a huge, gaping mouth opened near the Jet Recon Boat. "Not again!"

"Your blood must have started a feeding frenzy!"

"Get us out of here...my GOD!" cried Nova.

Derek closed the canopy in a hurry, and he started the engines. The boat roared away at its full speed, soon outrunning the shark before it gained enough speed to lift off out of the water.

Nova winced as the boat bounced around.

"Are you in pain?" said IQ-9. "Both of you are bleeding."

"No, I'm getting a big _thrill _out of this!" said Nova in a very sarcastic voice as tears ran down her cheeks. "YES, I'm in pain!" she cried as she held her torn wetsuit closed. It was a bit difficult, since it was torn a little more than her husband's was. "You don't know what it's like to be in pain and embarrassed, Tinwit."

"Actually, I am embarrassed," said IQ-9 as he turned his visual sensors away.

"_Why_, IQ? I mean, you're always trying to look at me," sobbed Nova as she held her suit closed, trying to keep decent.

"I am strong, and I have to help the Captain protect you. I am very embarrassed that I have to see you like this," said IQ in an almost morose tone of voice. "I wish I could go somewhere and leave you two alone with each other."

"Why do you say that?" said Derek while he dabbed at a nick on Nova's cheek near her nose.

"I see that she likes being touched by you. That is why..."

An angry Derek then reached for the robot's emergency switch (it was the central knob on his back in a row of three) and shut him off.

"There, that'll stop the damn Tinwit!" said Derek.

"I wish we could go away...make the whole world go away," said Nova as Derek held her while he tenderly removed her torn wetsuit.

"we can...we can go to our villa...in private."

"Thanks. You can fix me up there," she said with a sniff. "Thank heavens I left some clothes there the other day."

At that, with IQ-9 "asleep", Nova held her husband as she began to help him out of his wetsuit…

* * *

Later on that day, back on dry land, Helmeyer, Alex, Derek, and Starsha stood in the Great Library in Mother Town as Sandor, Nova, Aliscea, and Astra pored over the substance of the tablets in the holographic reader. Conor stood nearby, with an affectionate hand on Astra's shoulder.

Aliscea noticed that Nova and Derek had changed back into their uniforms again; she wasn't sure where they had gotten them from, since she saw they had left in wetsuits. She thought, _Maybe they had them on the island at their place? _Neither Wildstar had mentioned anything about the shark attack, of course. Queen Starsha shivered a little in her light, filmy dress as she looked at Helmeyer. _I know...Aliscea said it's necessary for us to have their cooperation...but, still...the thought of a Gamilon walking on Iscandar, after all that has happened...the idea makes me sick!_

"There's a vulnerability right there, in the warp transducer circuit," said Astra. "See? It'd be right near the surface of the artificial planet at that point. They would need to have that open to serve as a cooling vent."

"Even Ekogaru couldn't armor that," said Aliscea. "In my memory, I mean...the three thousand years' worth of memories I have in my head in the Pellian Matrix, is the memory of an engineer of Ekogaru's who turned back to our side five hundred years ago. Before he committed suicide since he couldn't live without the Dark Lord's warped "feedings" from other worlds, he told us that this vulnerability would be right near the Phased Density Cannon deep inside the Fortress. He thought a direct hit of enough energy into that accursed gun would bring down the entire Fortress. These plans prove it."

"So what do we do?" said Starsha.

"Queen Starsha, there were techniques in your tablets to mask our life-forces from Ekogaru. Just show me how to use those disciplines, and I have a plan. We can lure him to Iscandar by making him think the planet is dead. When he is close enough, I can psionicially attack the Fortress and Ekogaru through his Cannon."

"So what role would the Star Force play in all this?" said Derek, who felt a little odd in his Iscandarian clothes.

"A diversion, along with Desslok. If his space fleet, or a good part of it, is lured away into battle, it can't attack Iscandar," said Aliscea. "That'd leave me free to do my work with Paul as moral support here on the planet while you fight. Could that be arranged?"

"I guess we could," said Derek.

"We may have to sacrifice ourselves to buy time for Aliscea to do her work," said Nova. "We might never see home again."

"I know," said Derek. "And we'd better get back to the ship."

"Okay," said Nova.

Derek nodded. "Yeah. Let's go. General Helmeyer, we'll be back in a few minutes."

"I understand," he said.

* * *

About a half hour later, Derek and Nova returned to the library. "What you were saying," said Paul. "Are you saying we might all have to die?"

"Yes. That's part of the oath we took. But at least Earth would be safe," said Derek. "General Helmeyer?"

The Gamilon motioned them outside for a moment. A park was near the library, and it looked quite beautiful. "Desslok, I believe, would understand. We would sacrifice ourselves, if it came to that, to allow our peoples to live on. But, I assure you, Captain Wildstar; Gamilon would put up enough of a fight to ensure, if possible, that neither you nor Leader Desslok would have to sacrifice themselves. As for me, I've already reconciled myself to the possibility that I could die in this war. But, together, our peoples could assure a future...a future of some kind, for both Gamilon and Earth."

"Thank you, General," said Derek quietly.

Sandor came up. "Wildstar, it's time to return to the ship to begin that fleet exercise."

"Good luck," said Helmeyer. "I hope that both of our sides get a good workout, as you call it."

"Thank you, General," said Derek.

At that, he, Nova and Sandor returned back to the _Argo._

_I hope we have enough time to beat them...and win,_ thought Derek.

Indeed, time was beginning to run out.

* * *

**TO BE CONTINUED WITH ACT THREE: "_Aliscea's Battle_"**

* * *

**_THERE ARE NOW 89 DAYS TO THE ARRIVAL OF EKOGARU IN EARTH'S SOLAR SYSTEM_**

* * *


	3. Chapter 3

* * *

**ALTERNATE TALES OF THE STAR FORCE**

**STAR BLAZERS****---****PASSICAGLIA AND FUGUE IN C MINOR**

**Being the eighth part of THE RIKASHA INCIDENT--- BY: Frederick P. Kopetz**

* * *

**ACT THREE--ALISCEA'S BATTLE**

* * *

**I. COURT-MARTIAL**

**Port Side Observation Deck**

**Space Battleship _Argo_**

**Saturday, February 27, 2202**

**1130 Hours: Spacetime **

* * *

After having given his testimony about Lieutenant Bryan Hartcliffe's insubordination about half an hour ago, Captain Derek Wildstar quietly made his way back onto the observation deck where Hartcliffe's special court-martial was still in progress.

"Most of the Tigers are still here, huh?" whispered Derek as he looked at Conroy.

Conroy nodded. "Yeah. All except for the squadron out on patrol that Lubyanska's leading. "

Derek looked around; not much had changed. Twenty of the Black Tigers sat watching in folding chairs set out for them, along with a few Space Marines and Combat Group members not on watch now. The crowd watching the trial was about thirty-five.

There was a chair in front of a set of messhall tables, front and center. Bryan Hartcliffe stood at attention before that chair in his blue peacoat and Black Tiger uniform, guarded by two Space Marines. Another chair, to its right, for witnesses, was empty, now, since the military lawyers for both sides were performing final summations. But, Derek remembered his time in that chair.

He hadn't thought that as Captain of a ship, it would be so tough to give testimony. But, it had been. After he had been sworn on a Bible, Captain Wildstar had been asked tons of questions by the prosecutor, Lieutenant Todd Voorhees. The former JAG officer had been tough and thorough in establishing that Derek had given Hartcliffe a direct order not to cause any more trouble after his Captain's Mast on February the 11th. Yet, it was clear that he had violated that order.

As he gave testimony for the prosecution, Wildstar had occassionally been grilled by the Court; Dash, sitting front and center behind that long table in his navy blue peacoat as President of the Court hadn't asked that much, but Hardy, to his right in his peacoat, had asked _plenty _of questions.

The third member of the Court, Nova, resplendent in her white peacoat and scarlet scarf, had asked only one question, but it was a tough one. "Captain, please define 'insubordination.'" Derek, after he had thought about it, remembered his Military Law course at the Space Fighters' Training School, and had come forth with a good definition of 'insubordination' as per military regulations. Then, after Voorhees was done, there had been the cross-examination by the Defense.

Hartcliffe's defense attorney was Lieutenant Greenberg, the ship's Chaplain, who had been a former attorney once. After Voorhees and Wildstar had laid out what insubordination was and that Hartcliffe had violated a direct order, Greenberg spent ten long minutes trying to rip the heart out of Derek's testimony, just as he had done with Conroy's earlier. When Wildstar had left the stand, one glance at the Court, deep in thought, showed him that maybe Greenberg's idea in convincing Hartcliffe not to be his own attorney might work. _Maybe the miserable creep might actually beat one or both of the charges of Insubordination and Striking a Superior Officer,_ Wildstar had thought in sullen silence after he had left the stand.

Now, Voorhees paced the deck (in his peacoat) in front of the table, ringing out his final arguments in a loud, clear voice.

"Ladies and gentlemen of this Court, you have never heard such a clear-cut case of violation of a Captain's orders as we have heard today. And, we have never heard, established by four witnesses including the ship's Surgeon, a more convincing case that Mister Hartcliffe struck his Group Leader than we have heard today. I recommend, in the name of order and decency, as well as in the name of military discipline, that you find the accused guilty of both counts and impose the maximum sentence. Thank you."

"You may stand down," said Dash as Voorhees returned to his table, which was in front of the bench. "Defense Counsel?"

Greenberg stood up. "Ladies and Gentlemen of the Court, I think there is reasonable doubt as to whether or not this man had the necessary and requisite frame of mind to be _willfully_ insubordinate. The man has been driven by his emotions and by extreme stress over the past few weeks. He clearly took the irrational course of attempting to do harm to himself a few days ago while confined. Therefore, I would ask you to dismiss the charge of insubordination, and to give the man an appropriate warning should you find him guilty of the charge of striking a superior officer. In the name of human decency, I ask this. Please don't let this be another _Dreyfuss_ trial; another drumhead example of military justice at its worst. You are honorable men and women, all of you. I therefore submit that my client may well stand guilty of striking a superior officer, but he is clearly not guilty of willful insubordination, as I established in cross-examining the Captain."

_I gave the man a direct order, what more do you want?_ thought Derek irritably.

"I therefore ask you, ladies and gentlemen, to judge fairly. Thank you."

Dash rang the bell before him three times with a small hammer. "This Court will now adjourn to consider its findings and sentence, should the accused be found guilty."

"All rise!" yelled the Marine who was serving as bailiff. Everyone stood as Hardy, Dash, and Lieutenant Wildstar stood, about-faced, and walked off together to a small room off the observation deck where they would share some coffee and deliberate.

When they left, Angie was allowed to approach the defense table as Bryan sat down.

"Bryan, I'm going to pray for you."

"Why's that, luv?"

"They can throw you out of the service for this! The future of your career now depends upon those three in that room. Two men, and one woman who you had to feel up in public like an animal. She'll nail you to the cross, Bryan, if she had her way. Did you see the way she was looking at us during that trial?"

"Yeah, I did. Kind of."

"You'd better pray those two men in there are reasonable. You could be out of the service...in prison for a year...or maybe even sentenced to death! Oh, Bryan, I'm so scared!"

They held hands for a moment.

* * *

In the deliberation room, Hardy pointed his finger at the court. "Clearest case of disregardin' orduhs and punchin' out a superior outside of the movies, guys," he said while sipping at some coffee. "Nail him to the cross on both offenses. Jail for a year and a Bad Conduct Discharge. If it had been in battle, I'd ask for a death sentence."

"I agree with you on the striking a superior officer charge, Jeff," said Nova. "His Defense may have a point on the insubordination charge, though. You _know_ he's been under stress! Dash?"

"I agree with you on the striking a superior officer charge, Nova," said Dash. "Conroy's nose is still kinda swollen, for God's sakes. I'll let you two argue it out on the other charge. I haven't made up my mind yet. Remember, 2 to 1 convicts."

"Why do ya wanna give that sewuh rat any kind a' clemency, Nova?" said Hardy.

"His wife was raped," said Nova. "That can generate a lot of stress in a man, or in a relationship. I'm speaking from personal experience."

"Did you ever get raped?" said Dash.

"No, not exactly. But, I had a bad experience with my aunt when I was small," said Nova. "And you two know about Diamond Island. If that tsunami had held off for another fifteen minutes, I probably would have lost my virginity to Sparks instead of to my husband two years later. Do you know what that _does_ to a woman's mind?" said Nova in a clear, cold voice. "Based on that, and based on the fact that they were both through a lot of stress because of it, Mister Hartcliffe could NOT have had the state of mind needed to be deliberately insubordinate. That's why I asked Derek for that definition. Insubordinate must be a deliberate act, gentlemen. And I can't convict him on that count. I'm sorry."

"He's an animal," said Hardy. "That varmint knew damn well what he was doing. I'm convicting him, an' ah want him to rot in jail foh a yeah."

Dash sat in silence for a moment. "I'm sorry, Nova," said Dash. "I'm convicting. Looks like we're unanimous on the conviction on the fighting charge and 2-1 on the insubordination charge."

"Let's give him a little break on the sentence, then,' said Nova.

"BCD," said Hardy. "Bad Conduct Discharge. Drum the son-of-a-bitch out of the EDF. Have him sit in jail for a yeah, too."

"Boy, you're quick," said Nova. "I'd propose three more weeks in the brig and kick him down to Ensign. Keep him in the service for his wife's sake."

Dash sat quiet again. "We could kick him out," he said. "But, seeing the way Angie looked, let's not. Let's go with Nova's suggestion. Three and a kick downwards in rank should hit him hard enough. Hardy?"

Hardy nodded after a moment in thought. "Let's get out there and tell them our decision. This coffee stinks, Nova. You make it?"

She just smiled and shook her head. "Don't blame all Navy Brew on me, Jeff!"

They laughed to relieve the tension.

* * *

Back out in the observation deck. Dash looked at Hartcliffe and said, "Would the accused please rise?"

Hartcliffe stood up, hoping that under his glasses, no one could see the tears in his eyes.

"Lieutenant Bryan Hartcliffe," said Dash. "This court has found you guilty of striking a superior officer. The verdict was unanimous, 3-0. You have also been found guilty of insubordination; with a 2-1 verdict. These are serious crimes you have been convicted of. They will reflect adversely upon you at your next review and may keep you from re-enlisting in the Service."

Hartcliffe stood there with his head bowed. "We will now pronounce our sentences upon you for these offenses. For the charge of striking a superior officer, the Court sentences you to three weeks in the brig and loss of all pay and allowances for that period. For the charge of insubordination, you are reduced to the rank of Ensign. You will be taken forth from this courtroom to begin serving your sentence. These proceedings are now concluded."

Dash rang the bell, and Hartcliffe was taken away with a stricken look on his face after he squeezed Angie's hand.

"Well, that's it," said Hardy. "Do you think we did a good job?"

"Yeah," said Dash.

"No," said Nova. "We did what we had to do. I...I don't know what good is going to come out of this. Excuse me, please." At that, she left.

"Do you understand women?" said Dash.

Hardy shook his head.

* * *

Hartcliffe sat back in his cell, bummed over his loss of rank, bummed over the next three weeks he'd have to spend locked up, but relieved that he wasn't out of the EDF over this.

_Well, some things can be bad, others good,_ he thought. _Guess another three weeks worth of bein' bloody bored ain't so bad, since I'll be back with the squadron by then... _

_So much to do.__ Just a lot of time to wait._

* * *

**II. FAMILY LIFE**

**Earth**

**Boulder****, Colorado**

**The Forrester Family Residence**

**Saturday, February 27, 2202**

**2330 Hours: Spacetime**

* * *

The front door to the Forrester family home was kicked open by its owner late at night. There was a good reason why Karl Forrester had to kick the door open. He was in a tux, and he had his laughing wife Teri in his arms in an evening gown and heels. They had been to a concert that night, and had gone out for dinner and a few drinks afterwards. Teri had had more to drink than Karl. As a result, the laughing woman sounded twenty years younger than her true age of forty-three.

"What's on your mind?" asked Karl as Teri struggled out of her evening sandals.

"I'm not sure how to put this in words, so let me put it like this..." said Teri.

"Yes?"

Teri came up to her husband, hugged him, and began to undo his bow tie. "That orchestra did quite a job...I was so moved tonight. And you were looking at me that way all throughout dinner, Karl."

"So, you'd like to...uh...get a bit steamy?" he said after they kissed.

"Uh-huh," said Teri.

"Where?"

"In front of the fireplace would be nice," said Teri. "And you made sure a real fire was in here for once. Good."

"It matches how I feel, Teri. God...you in that dress...you're setting me on fire," said Karl.

* * *

The Earth Defense Forces Scout Ship _Pioneer_ sat in a dock at the EDF Base on one of the moons of Uranus.

Lieutenant Mio Hoshiyama, the ship's Survey Group Leader, had been summoned into a side office on the base.

"Admiral Parker, sir, what do you need to tell me?"

"I have bad news, Lieutenant. Make sure you're sitting down."

"Yes."

"It's about your father and the special task group that was beginning an investigation of the edge of the solar system."

"My God...did something happen to Daddy?"

Parker nodded his head. "His task group was attacked by the Rikashans. Your father went down at his post on the _Cassiopeia._ No survivors. At least the flight recorders we recovered indicated that he went down fighting. I'm so sorry, Lieutenant."

"Did they destroy the whole task force?" asked Mio through her tears.

"Yes, Lieutenant, they did. If you need leave time..."

"I'll gladly take it!" said Hoshiyama. "I..."

Mio had nothing else to say; she just threw her head down on Admiral Parker's desk and began to wail. Parker tried to comfort her with a hug. He didn't know if it would do any good or not.

* * *

**III. LORD ZADEN'S DEMAND**

**Earth**

**The Great Megalopolis**

**Earth Defense Headquarters**

**Monday, March 1, 2202**

**1030 Hours: Spacetime**

* * *

"This is _not_ a conventional war, gentlemen!" yelled Piper Sandberg in the main chamber of the Earth Defense Council. "How do you think it can be won by conventional means?"

"We need a working fleet to be able to meet such a threat, Sandberg," retorted General Weller. "Luckily, our new Fleet Construction Program is maybe a month and a half away from completion. When the new fleet is built, we'll have the same strength we had in the fall of 2201. We were able to stop the Comet Empire's advance fleet at Titan with such a fleet."

"But what happened when the Comet itself showed up?" retorted Sandberg. "Here, we're facing something far worse than a Goddamn Comet!"

"Doctor Sandberg, please refrain from the profanity," said Commanding General Singleton at the head of the table. He had his eyes closed, and looked rather disgusted.

"My apologies, sir."

"We were hearing from you, General Camacho," said Singleton. "Go on. Not counting our recent losses, what is the current composition of the Fleet?"

"This is how far we've come," said Camacho. He stood and a graphic came up on the screen. "At the current time, due to the loss of the _Cassiopeia_, which I must take into account, we have four space battleships of the _Andromeda_ class in commission. We begin with the new _Andromeda _herself, in command of the Combined Fleet and in command of First Fleet. Then, there is the _Perseus_, in command of Second Fleet, the _Aphrodite_, in command of Third Fleet, and the _Cepheus_, in command of Fourth Fleet. Fifth Fleet is currently being commanded from the _Hermes_, our sole remaining spacecraft carrier thanks to the loss of the _Akagi._

"You had other carriers in construction?" asked Stone.

"Yes; the new spacecraft carriers _Lexington_, _Hiryu_, _Jean Bart_, _Ark Royal_, and _Wasp._ The _Lexington_and the _Hiryu_ are the closest we have to completion."

"These are all _Yorktown_ classes?" asked Stone.

Camacho nodded. "The planned _Forrestal_ class is still on the drawing board, unfortunately. That class, and the planned _Arizona_ class space battleship, are still quite a few years away from approval, let alone having a keel laid down. We have to use what we have available to use, gentlemen and ladies. That means we use _Andromeda_s, _Yorktowns_, _Jamaicas_, and the other 2201 Program Classes to stop this enemy. The other designs, I am afraid, are vaporware, just like the planned Upgrade XII of the _Argo_ herself. We can't very well pull the _Argo_ into dock to rip her down to the keel and rebuild her when she's out at Iscandar, you know. The same goes with the rest of the fleet. We can't launch new designs when an enemy is knocking at the door."

"What's the status of the building program on those _Jamaica_ Class Main Space Battleships?" asked Stone.

Camacho changed a graphic. "The _Jamaica_ class Main Space Battleship; the backbone of the Fleet. Through some miracle, we have just launched the twenty-fifth active ship of this class, the _Tibet_, as of yesterday. We were at twenty-seven, but since we lost the _Taiwan_and the _Ethiopia_in that action that took the _Cassiopeia_ and the _Akagi_, we're not doing too badly, I guess. We currently have five of these ships deployed to each Defense Fleet; we should have seven. Fortunately, we have eight more in various stages of construction. Should we try for two more?"

"I'd propose it," said Singleton. The motion was laid out to build two more _Jamaicas_; and it passed by a bare majority.

"Thank you. Camacho, how much should we have in commission by April the first?"

"In commission? The following, sir. Let me put up this graphic."

A moment later, a list came up. It read the following:

**2202 Emergency Fleet Replenishment Program: Projected Goals, April 2202.**

**_Andromeda_**** Class SBB: 5 (pending completion of SBB _Scorpio_)**

**_Jamaica_**** Class SBB: 35 (pending completion 8 building and 2 newly authorized units)**

**_Yorktown_**** Class SCV: 6 (pending completion of 5 units) **

**_Argo_**** Class SBB: 1 (on active patrol)**

**_New York_**** Class SCA (Fleet Cruisers): 83 (pending completion of 30 units)**

**_Amazon_**** Class SCR (Patrol Cruisers): 26 (pending completion of 6 units)**

**_Warsaw_**** Class SDD (Space Destroyers): 372 (pending completion of 50 units)**

**_Sun H'tsu_**** Class SFF (Space Frigates): 96 (pending completion of 20 units)**

**_Valkyrie_**** Class SGB (Space Gunboats): 120 (pending completion of 60 units)**

**---------------------------------------------------------------------**

**TOTAL Warships in Commission as of 15 April 2202: 744**

"So, we're supposed to stop the Rikashans with seven hundred and forty-four ships?" said Sandberg.

"It's going to be more than we had in commission to fight the Comet Empire, Sandberg," said Singleton. "And, Captain Wildstar reported to us that Gamilon might be able to spare a task force of four or five hundred ships to assist us."

The table filled up with hubbub over this development.

"When did Wildstar sign a treaty with Desslok? We didn't authorize that?" said Stone.

"We're allied with the people who were our mortal enemies a few months ago?" said Weller in disbelief.

"Are we expected to help Desslok conquer other worlds, now?" said Weiner.

"We have no protocol for this!" said Sandberg in a disdainful voice. His sallow face looked ugly in the light, and wasn't helped by the appearance of his fawn-colored jacket with gold epaulets as he gestured. "We might as well be signing a treaty with the Devil!"

Two seats down, Weiner looked at his friend and grinned a little. _Good job, Piper,_ he thought. _We have an agenda here. Can't let their defense efforts go too far now, can we?_

"Gentlemen," said Singleton. "There's no formal treaty. There may not be for quite some time."

"Then why's Desslok doin' this?" said Sandberg.

"Because the enemy threatens his people, as well as our own," said Singleton. "Right now, the Gamilons have most of their active fleet in the Sanzar System guarding Iscandar and the ruined hulk of Gamilon to help Aliscea and the Star Force stop the Dark Lord Ekogaru himself. We can thank God that the main battle of this war is apparently going to be fought 148,000 lightyears away, rather than right here in our solar system. Yet, if Ekogaru isn't stopped here, he will arrive in a few weeks, along with the major part of the Rikashan Fleet. Then, we will face an onslaught...that'll be something I don't even want to think about."

"I know how bad it is," said Sandberg. "We picked up a message from the Rikashans one day ago. We've just finished translating it. May I share it with the Defense Council? It's text only."

"Granted," said Singleton.

A moment later, a brief text message appeared on the main screen. It read:

**_--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_**

**_To: The Dishonorable Scum of Planet Earth_**

**_From: T'Grish Zaden, Sublime Ruler and Lord of the Rikashan/R'Khell Grand Union_**

**_Subject: Surrender, Scum!_**

**_------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_**

**_I am the Lord Zaden the Great, the ruler of the Rikashan and R'Khell People and a faithful worshipper and servant of the Grand Lord Ekogaru, the God of War, the strongest of the Gods, the Prime God, the Great God of the Universe. Ekogaru is our God, may His Name be Blessed Forever, Serrah!_**

**_Ekogaru has ordered me to turn our probing raids of your pitiable world into a general Holy War or Ji'Had to His Glory. He plans to come to our Galaxy soon. In the name of mercy and kindness, I give you one last chance to surrender to us before the onslaught comes. I can marshal over a thousand starships to fight you. Your resistance would be hopeless, fruitless, and might lead to the loss of your race, you scum, should you persist in your stiff-necked opposition of our Lord Ekogaru, since He would crush you._**

**_Convey your surrender to Baron Anton Cha'rif, who waits outside your solar system on my orders for three of your days. Otherwise, you shall face death rather than merciful slavery. You will not live. You will not live. You will die. You will die. You will DIE!_**

**_Surrender if you wish to live, scum!_**

**_In Friendly Warning,_**

**_Lord T'Grish Zaden _**

**_Sublime Ruler and Lord of the Rikashan/R'Khell Grand Union_**

**_----------------------------------------------------------------------------------_**

"Well, that's a subtle message," snorted Weller over nervous laughter.

"Gentlemen," said Sandberg. "I suggest we listen to them. We should consider their demand. We should surrender."

"Sandberg, I don't want to hear that from you," said Singleton. "Take back those words. We're not going to surrender to this sort of terrorism."

"But, General," said Sandberg. "It's the only rational course."

"Not as long as we have a Fleet. Not as long as we still have...the _Argo_ and the Star Force," said the Commander.

"Are you so convinced?" said Sandberg. He stood up and pushed in his chair.

"Doctor Sandberg, I didn't give you permission to leave!" barked Singleton.

"So?" said Sandberg. "I'm leaving anyway. This is a pointless discussion."

Sandberg walked out.

"Damn defeatist," said Weller

_I agree with you, although not quite in those words,_ thought Singleton.

* * *

Later on, Sandberg and Weiner met some people in the former Earth Defense Forces headquarters in the underground city beneath the Megalopolis.

"How is the demoralization effort going?" asked a figure in a brown sackcloth robe, who was surrounded by a few treasonous members of the EDF.

"It's going well, Joshua," said Weiner with an evil smile. "Have you been in touch with the Prophetess?"

"Yes. She has been in touch with me. The Lord has given Yvona great power, and she approves of our efforts in her name. Granted, the cult has had to...pardon the pun...go ever deeper underground, but we are making our plans to help the Rikashans and the Elevated Ones in Lord Ekogaru's ranks so that this sinful world shall fall right into our hands."

"How goes the effort with the Star Force?" asked Sandberg.

"Unfortunately, Mister Parmon, the man that His Lordship had chosen to turn against them, has been killed in battle. He died before His Lordship could even contact him," said Joshua.

"We are _not_ pleased with this development," said a rather deep voice.

The treasonous EDF troops turned around, noticing that two more figures had entered the room. One was obviously Rikashan; he wore a grey tunic, black pants, and high black boots. The other one, if possible looked even worse; he wore a black cowl from head to foot, and carried a large, evil-looking scimitar. His lean, hawk-like face showed through his cowl, along with his messy dark brown hair. The look in his glowing green eyes was ominous.

"We have met some of you before, but not face-to-face," said the deep voice. "This is the first time I have personally been to Earth, and it shall, I pray, be the first of many times I visit here. I am Baron Anton Cha'rif, commander of an advance strike force given the mission of finishing off the _Argo_ and of subverting Earth prior to our invasion. This man here is Ter'garv, my second. And this man sitting to my far left is Kelzart, a Gamilon general whom I captured in battle who has seen fit to join our Cause. So? You have sworn loyalty to us?"

"Youah bringing Gamilons down here?" said Sandberg.

"You have something against Gamilons?" yelled Kelzart.

"_Peace,"_ said Cha'rif ominously. "I supervised the disguise. I made us look like mere Terran maintenance workers. We shall again assume that guise when we return to the Rikashan dimensional sub that is waiting to take us off this world. I understand that you and Weiner serve us."

"We do, Lord," said Weiner with a bow. "We have been trying to subvert the defense of Earth. And, we have the following information to give you. The composition of the Earth Defense Fleet, and one of our military ciphers; Code Delta."

"Excellent," said Cha'rif as he accepted a small message capsule from Weiner. "Why have you turned traitor?"

"We are Josiahites, like our brothers here in brown," said Sandberg. "We believe in the inevitability of your victory, and wish to help bring it about, Lord. In return, we should like the power, women, and riches that Joshua and the Prophetess Yvona have promised us for aiding them. It is supposedly the will of Ekogaru that we help bring this rotten government down."

"It is His will," smiled Cha'rif. "I am pleased. I cannot linger here for long, you understand. Continue your efforts. When we win in a few weeks, you shall be richly rewarded. Come, Ter'garv, come, Kelzart. Again, thank you, Joshua, and thank you, Weiner, for your aid. I even thank you, Sandberg."

The Rikashans left.

"What of the rest of us, sir?" said Captain Borland, the Captain of the EDF Patrol Cruiser _Mogami. _He was a young man, and he was standing to the far left of Sandberg, leaning against a disused console in his blue and red peacoat over his uniform.

"Falsify the reports from your sector, Borland," said General Weiner with a grin. "If Rikashans show up there, Singleton, Stone, and the others need not know about it. Tell those under you that you have received special orders."

"Of course," said the young Captain with an evil grin. "I will avenge the brave patriots who took over the _Potemkin_ and died serving the Cause."

"Could we take the _Potemkin_ back?" asked Dr. Sandberg.

"Probably not; she's too well-guarded now," said Weiner. "We can consider this meeting adjourned. All of you, please leave the way you came. Sandberg and I shall speak by ourselves."

Joshua and his fellow robed cultist left, slipping into the crevices of the underground city. Captain Borland led away the members of his crew loyal to his cause, along with the other EDF officers who had joined this conspiracy.

"Now, what do we need to do?" asked Sandberg.

"Find some way to get rid of General Singleton," said Weiner. "Murder, kidnapping, give him a drug that will drive him out of his mind, discredit him and let him be arrested...so he can fall into the hands of my security forces...oh, I can do a lot. You be careful about what you say in Council until then, you idiot!" said Weiner. "I think he is beginning to suspect us."

"He'd better not be..." said Sandberg as he began to have a smoke.

A moment later, they heard footsteps. The men tensed; only Weiner had a weapon.

Weiner's hand went to his sidearm, but, instead, conditioned by military reflexes, it came up in a salute.

Their lone visitor was the Commander himself!

"What are you two doing down here?" asked Singleton.

"Sir...we...came down here to think," said Weiner. "I was trying to convince my colleague here that we shouldn't give up so easily. The Rikashan Empire is beatable; and we've been through far worse than their planned invasion. This place underground is mute testimony to that fact, sir."

"Good, Weiner. I was wondering about your loyalty. I'm not sure about yours, Doctor Sandberg. I was going to ask you for your resignation, Piper. But, since I note that General Weiner might be bringing you around, you shall have one last chance. But, anything else as demoralizing as your outburst today... and you are off the Defense Council. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yessir, you do," said Doctor Sandberg.

Singleton looked carefully at Weiner and then at Sandberg. At random, he walked over to one of the consoles on which Cha'rif had been sitting a few minutes ago. Noticing some black fibers, he picked them up. "Was anyone else down here with you men?"

"No, sir," said Weiner with a suddenly dry throat. "No one except maintenance workers."

"Thank you," said Singleton. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have other things to see to. Thank you for this talk, gentlemen."

Then, the Commander turned his back to Sandberg and Weiner and slowly walked out of the abandoned command center.

Behind his back, Sandberg gestured to Weiner. He refused.

Finally, Sandberg whispered, "Why the hell didn't you shoot him when he had his back turned?"

"He's my commanding officer, and he's a good man," said Weiner. "You can't shoot a decent man like that in cold blood, Sandberg. I won't, anyway. We have to find another way of ridding ourselves of him."

"Any ideas?"

"Not yet, but give me time. After all, it is getting close to the Ides of March." Weiner smiled. "And, I think it may be possible for us to rid ourselves of _our_ Caesar another way. We're a _little_ more refined these days."

At that, both men laughed.

* * *

**IV. TRAINING**

**First**** Bridge**

**Space Battleship _Argo_**

**Tuesday, March 2, 2202**

**1030 Hours: Spacetime**

* * *

The _Argo_ was about two hundred megameters away from Iscandar. The red alert klaxons were blowing, and the Black Tigers were on patrol ahead of the ship.

"Captain, we've heard from Conroy," said Homer. "He's reporting enemy fighter contact at RX-211. He said he's engaging the enemy now."

"Good," said Yamazaki, who was acting as Officer of the Deck on this exercise. "Any radar contacts?"

"Radar contact to starboard at ninety-nine degrees," said Nova from her post. "Range, eighteen megameters, speed twenty space knots. It looks like a battleship squadron; one battleships, two carriers, five cruisers, and fifteen destroyers. Putting it up on the video panel."

"Gamilons!" hissed Venture.

"I'm getting word from the enemy commander," said Homer.

He changed the screen, and Lysis appeared again on the _Argo's_ main video screen. He was snarling, and he looked suitably menacing, almost as if he was a real enemy again rather than a wargames opponent as Desslok had arranged.

"You can't continue your hold on this space," said Lysis. "One way or the other, I'm going to dislodge you. My fighters are blowing yours out of the sky..."

Homer listened and reported to Yamazaki. "Actually, Conroy reports that we're winning."

"The battle's not going the way you expected, Lysis," said Yamazaki. "We hear that you're losing..."

"Damn you...we'll blow you to pieces!" said Lysis. The "enemy" general then cut off. A moment later, fire from his fleet, at practice intensity, began to roar in towards the _Argo_.

"Return fire!" said Yamazaki.

"Opening main guns, target, Gamilon fleet," said Dash. "FIRE!"

The _Argo's_ main guns went off, firing practice rounds at the Gamilons.

"We've taken some damage," said Sandor. "Royster, get a damage control party to the galley!"

"Yessir," said Royster from his post in the Mechanical Block.

"We've taken out six of their ships," reported Nova as the colors of the blips on her radar screen changed; the Gamilon ships which had taken "fatal hits" were obligated to stop dead in space and retire from the game as if they had been destroyed. "That's four destroyers and two cruisers."

Up in the Captain's Quarters, Captain Wildstar sat drinking tea as he listened to the results of the mock battle on the intercom. _Not bad,_ he thought. _You guys are still a little slow on the guns, but, so far, we're winning. Sounds good for our rematch this evening when it's Nova's turn in the Captain's chair... _

* * *

On Iscandar, Jonathan Hartnell-Iiyama was playing by himself on a beach. He had changed into a swimsuit.

He was busy throwing pebbles into the surf when he observed a young woman sitting in the sand in a string bikini.

"Excuse me, are you all right?" he asked.

Aliscea of Pellias looked up at Jonathan and gave a wan smile. "You'll get sunburned like that."

"So will you," he retorted. "What'cha doing?'

"Meditating. He's getting closer. He...will arrive here in two days."

"Who? Ekogaru?"

Aliscea nodded sadly. Jonathan noticed that she looked so vulnerable that she may as well have been naked. "I've told Paul already. He says he doesn't know what else he can do for me now. Indeed, nobody knows what they can do."

"Do you know what you're gonna do?"

"I have some idea of how to stop him; I don't know if it's going to work or not. It all depends upon me. Me, me, me. I wish I didn't have this curse. I wish I didn't have this destiny. I just...want to lie here and think of nothing at all and get sunburned. I wish I could relax."

"Swimming might help," said Jonathan. "The water's nice and warm, and it feels really good."

"Sure you know how?" he said as they ran into the surf.

"Of course I do. Used to do it all the time on Pellias...like this!" she yelled over the surf, Aliscea ran into the ocean and began to swim along, getting a kick out of it.

Jonathan followed her, smiling. He was surprised, though. It was the first time he had ever seen Aliscea of Pellias smiling.

_Maybe I just did us some good?_ he thought. _Maybe we can win if she relaxes?_

* * *

"So that's our greatest foe?" said Yvona as she stood beside Ekogaru and Gralnacz on the Technomugar Fortress. "That slip of a girl with hardly any clothes on?"

"Yes, that is her," said Gralnacz. "My daughter. She looks delicious," he said, licking his lips with obscene joy. "Soon, she shall be in my clutches."

"Maybe she will be, maybe the counterattack I shall launch shall destroy her," said Ekogaru. "Vergar. What sort of fleet do we have ready?"

"A hundred battleships, a hundred and fifty cruisers, five hundred escorts. You're sure you don't want any Goraizu Fortresses?"

"I don't," said Ekogaru. "I want to give them the illusion that they can win. Then, when I warp in myself, Yvona and I shall dispel that illusion."

The view on the screen changed. "Which of the planets are we attacking first?" said Vergar.

"Gamilon," said Ekogaru. "You know my plans for Gamilon already, so I need not repeat them again. As for Iscandar, after we scan it, and after we send a landing party down to raid the libraries...I want it destroyed. I also want captives. Am I clear?"

"You are, Lordship," said Vergar. Gralnacz and Yvona also bowed.

Ekogaru said, "We shall send the fleet ahead of us. We will warp to the edge of the Sanzar System in nineteen hours. The fleet is to begin its attack in twenty hours. In twenty-four hours, I expect to be melting down Gamilon, preferably in a star system filled with the burning ruins of the Gamilon Fleet. I believe we all know what we must do. Leave me and see to it!"

Ekogaru's lieutenants bowed and then left the Dark Lord alone.

* * *

Later, Yvona took Gralnacz to a bizarre complex deep in the Fortress; a complex of labs and torture chambers known as Joy Suite Number 66.

"I have been working with some technicians," said Yvona. "First, I need to swear you to secrecy."

"For what reason?" said Gralnacz.

"His Lordship would not like this. I serve him, but I am hoping for even more."

"Explain," said Gralnacz as the two of them walked towards a capsule covered with lights. Two Technomugar technicians in white coats were working on it.

"Ladyship," said one of them. "The growth of the material that we took from your brain tissue has reached the first stage. We can soon establish the mental uplink again."

"Do you have brain waves from it?" said Yvona.

"It?" said Gralnacz. "This sounds like fun. Activate the mental blockers. We don't want his Lordship hearing this."

"Of course," said the tech. He flipped a switch. "You have some confidentiality, Lady Yvona, Lord Gralnacz. Ten minutes' worth."

"Good. Open it," said Yvona.

The chamber was opened, and a young girl of who seemed to be about ten years old opened her eyes and sat up. She wore nothing but a cloth over her loins, and she was wet.

"Hello there, you _thing_," said Yvona.

The little girl, who looked much like Yvona, smiled and said. "Greetings. _Mother_."

"What?" said Gralnacz. "His Lordship got you pregnant…The little rat looks just like you!"

"No," said Yvona. "It is a clone. A clone of myself. Of course, His Lordship does not know that it exists."

"Let me out of here, or I swear, I shall murder you…_Mother_," said Yvona's clone with an acid smile that was terrifying on such a young child; even a young child created by horrifying, unnatural means.

"You have no right to speak to me like that!" yelled Yvona as she struck her own clone across the face. "I don't even know if you have a soul or not, you little snot."

"I have foreseen something," said the clone with a sick grin.

"What?" said Yvona.

"She is going to kill you," sang the clone. "The little blonde whore from the _Argo_ is going to run you through like a sausage one day, _Mother_. Then I will surpass you. _Mother, dear_. Your plot to grab power from Ekogaru shall fail, because the power, _Mother_, shall be mine. _Mine_!"

"If she kills me, you don't get to live," hissed Yvona.

"Why not, now?" said the clone.

"I will force you to grow up in there," said Yvona. "When you are old enough, and I have uploaded enough of my memories into you, your body will die, but your brain will live. The brain will then go into me, and with a younger organic brain and more psychic power and a greater link with Below, then I will have enough power to bring down even His Lordship. Then people will worship me. Do you know why?"

"Why?" said the clone.

"Because I will have a young brain. A brain ripped from your skull, and I shall be more powerful than Ekogaru."

"No, I'll be," sang the clone. "You'll die, Yvona. I've foreseen it! Then I'll be the new you! _Hee hee hee hee hee hee hee_…"

"This sounds like fun," said Gralnacz. "What do I get out of this?"

"Her," said Yvona.

"Can I have her now?" said Gralnacz with a sick, twisted grin.

"Not yet," said Yvona. Yvona shoved down her clone and hit a button on the capsule. It closed, and even as the clone cursed and banged on the window, a gas filled the sick artificial womb and put the poor, misbegotten monster to sleep. "She has to grow a bit more, first. But, maybe we can arrange something before the operation, my dear Gralnacz," said Yvona as she ran her tongue over the balding cyborg's cheek in a whorish manner.

"Wonderful," said Gralnacz. "Turn off the blocking mechanism now, Maza!"

"Yes, Lord," said one of the techs.

"After all, we don't want Ekogaru to know I've been unfaithful," said Yvona.

"No…we do not," said Gralnacz with a sick, sick grin.

* * *

Much later that day, the _Argo_ was "under attack" again, this time, by a Gamilon force of cruisers and destroyers led by General Fraken. For the Gamilons, it was a "commerce raiding" mission, while, for the Star Force, it was a "blockade running" mission.

This time, Nova was in the hot seat, sitting in the Captain's chair as Officer of the Deck.

"Enemy spotted, ma'am," said Raiden from the Cosmo-Radar. "Range, ten megameters, speed, twenty-three space knots; they're coming from port, 195 degrees, and starboard, at 92 degrees. These guys are coming in fast."

"Venture, match their speed," ordered Nova. "Then, port, ninety degrees."

"Increase speed to twenty-six space knots," he ordered. "Port, ninety degrees."

"You know we've got their "T" crossed, ma'am," said Dash.

"Oh, I know," sang Nova. "All guns, open fire! Target, enemy fleet!"

The _Argo's_ guns went off, still at practice intensity, "taking out" ship after ship on the Gamilon side.

"Good job, Rosstowski," said Dash.

Shoving his worries about Aliscea out of his mind, Paul smiled and got back to his job, taking out some more Gamilon ships at practice intensity.

_We beat Lysis in the last exercise,_ thought Paul. _I hope we can make it two in a row here with this Fraken guy._

"Oh, no!" yelled Parsons from her post. "One of the ships has broken formation! He's trying a ramming manuever!"

_He wouldn't really hurt us, but we don't need to be knocked out of action with a simulated ram and board,_ thought Nova. "Venture, turn the ship! Dash! Fire all bow missiles! Take him out!"

"Roger," said Venture.

"The engine room's taken some damage; our speed is dropping," said Yamazaki.

"In position to fire missiles!" said Dash.

"Fire," ordered Nova.

"FIRE!" yelled Dash.

The _Argo_ fired some practice missiles right at Fraken's flagship. The simulated explosions went off, and before Fraken could react, his ship was "finished."

Dash then finished off the raiders with another main gun barrage.

Finally, the _Argo_ cruised up alongside Fraken's cruiser.

"Lieutenant, tell them that they did a good job," said Fraken as he wrote on a padd with a stylus. "Send the Terrans this message of congratulations.

"Uh...all of it, sir?" said the Lieutenant.

"Yes, Hanzel, all of it," said Fraken with a grin.

"Yessir!"

"We've received a message from the Gamilons," said Homer.

"Read it," said Nova.

"_To Lieutenant Wildstar: The Lone Wolf of the Cosmic Depths congratulates you on your accomplishments. Now let's hope we can work together when the real threat comes. Also, if we win, and there is a victory ball, may I have a dance with you? Regards, General Fraken, Gamilon Fleet."_

Nova giggled a little at the end of the message. "Homer, send this to General Fraken. _Thank you; you made a great opponent. You're a great fighter; I'm sure we can fight together when the real battle comes up. As for that dance, we have to survive, first. Then, you have to ask my husband. Regards, Lieutenant Nova Wildstar, Earth Defense Forces."_

* * *

**V. ALISCEA'S BREATH BEFORE THE PLUNGE**

**Planet Iscandar**

**A Beach**

**Tuesday, March 2, 2202**

**1900 Hours: Spacetime**

* * *

"Yaaaah!" yelled Nova, focusing her _ki_ as she swung her dueling foil at her opponent on the wet sand on a lonely Iscandarian beach.

Behind his dueling mask, Derek Wildstar laughed for a moment and then swung again, parrying his wife's blow. He was in a martial-arts _gi_ and screened dueling mask, swinging a dueling foil of his own. The wet sand and surf had stained the cuffs of his loose training pants, but he didn't mind much. Although, he had to admit, Nova's impulsive move of stripping down to just her _gi_ top and bikini bottoms seemed to make some sense as she splashed bare-legged in the surf with her sword.

Nova came at Derek again, but Derek knocked away her sword and thrust towards her chest. She just barely avoided the "killing" blow and spun around barefoot in the wet sand to attack her husband from another angle.

She feinted, and then got a blow up under Derek's arms. He yelled, and slipped onto his butt on the wet sand, falling down as Nova playfully put a victor's foot on his chest.

"This time, I won!" she laughed as she threw off her mask.

"Yeah, that was good," said Derek. "You're getting better at this."

"Thanks," said Nova as she caught her breath. Finally, she said, "Your pants are wet."

"Yeah, better get out of them," he said. Derek stripped off his martial-arts pants, followed by his top. He then stood there in only his swimsuit. Then, he smiled wickedly and opened Nova's _gi._

"Derek!" she cried, in a tone of voice halfway between a giggle and an indignant whine.

"Nobody's looking," he replied with a grin.

"You know I have only a bikini top on under this," she said.

"That's why I'm taking this off you, dearest. Probably a good thing; you're sweating like a horse."

Nova exhaled at her husband. "Ladies don't sweat, they _perspire_, Derek."

Both lovers temporarily discarded their workout clothes and foils and equipment in the beach grass after they packed up their foils and masks in bags. Then, they walked along the shore, laughing now and then as the water went around their feet. They stopped and looked at the Iscandarian sunset.

"So, Aliscea said that he will definitely arrive tomorrow?" said Derek.

"Yes, Derek, she did. That was the last thing we spoke of when I saw her before."

"Where is she now?"

"Paul said she's stopped meditating. He said she's walking along the beach now, trying to gather her thoughts; trying to gather her courage."

"Just like us," sighed Derek. He stopped to fling a pebble in the water. "You know, this could be the last sunset we ever see."

"Yes, but it's so beautiful, Derek."

"Would you like to...?" he asked as he embraced her.

"Not here," said Nova softly. "I'd rather do it on the ship tonight, with the starlight shining in through the canopy in our cabin. But, I don't mind a kiss."

"Me, neither," said Derek. At that, they shared a long and searching kiss, lightly clad and comfortable against each other.

They finally broke the kiss, and noticed a pair running up against the sunset. Nova, almost with a reflex action, covered her barely clad breasts with her arms, but she relaxed a little when she saw that the newcomers seemed to only be a young woman and a boy.

As they drew closer, she saw that the boy was in only a swimsuit and the young woman was clad the same way; it happened to be Jonathan and Aliscea. "Well, what are we doing?" asked Aliscea.

"Enjoying the sun, I think," said Nova. She looked at Jonathan and said, "How old are you?"

"I just turned nine."

"And? I note you're looking at Aliscea and I. Noticing girls yet?" teased Nova.

"Just started to. Trying to figure out which one of you is cuter."

"Silly!" laughed Nova as she swatted Jonathan on his swimsuit-clad tush.

"Well, you asked if I was noticing girls yet," said Jonathan.

"He has a point, Nova," said Derek.

"Have _you_ started noticing girls yet, Derek?" she teased.

"Yeah. You. And only you, _tenshi_," said Derek with a sweet smile.

"Good boy," she said as she patted him on the head.

"You're awfully lighthearted when we might be dead this time tomorrow," said Aliscea.

"Life is precious," said Nova. "As long as you have it, you'd better darn well enjoy every minute you've got. How's the meditation going?"

"I've topped," said Aliscea. "I can't meditate any more. I've done all I can. The test is ahead of us."

"It's like the maneuvers we've been through the past few days," said Derek. "We've trained and trained and trained. I think we've trained enough...or the crew has. I don't know if I have yet."

"I know what you mean," said Nova. "It's like cramming for an exam in college. You've crammed and crammed and crammed until you can't look at the book any longer. All you can do then is just close the book, eat, and do the test in the morning. It's like that with this battle. All we can do now is fight. How far is he?"

"I don't want to think about it," said Aliscea. "All right...I'm dying to know, too." Aliscea stood with her eyes closed for a minute, staring towards the darkening East. "He's fifteen thousand lightyears away now," she said in a pained voice. "He's just warped again. Two more warps, and he'll be at the edge of this system in the morning. Nova...can you see to it that Jonathan finds his clothes and gets back to his foster parents? I'm going back to my tower with Paul for the night. I'll be meeting Starsha before dawn."

"Where's your clothes?" said Nova.

"The same place his things are," said Aliscea. "Guess I'll need them to go back to Mother Town. I have my own boat."

"You can come with us," said Derek.

"No. It's best I go back alone," she said as they walked along together. As they walked, Derek compared Aliscea's build to Nova's; Nova was slender, but she at least had some lean, well-toned musculature on her flanks and looked slender but well-nourished. In contrast, Aliscea had very little muscle covering her rib cage; Derek thought she looked almost painfully thin.

_The girl needs to eat better,_ thought Derek in pity. _She's just sacrificing herself for us. Is that the way Trelaina looked? Barely eating? I need to tell Paul to tell her to eat better. _

Derek could tell that Nova had been thinking the same thing, because she said, "Aliscea, come back to the ship with us for tonight. I'll cook you a good meal. You'll need your strength to fight Ekogaru."

"No, Nova...I don't want anything," said Aliscea sadly.

"Aliscea, I can see your hipbones," said Nova as they approached the patch of beach grass where her things lay next to Jonathan's warm-weather clothes. She looked at Derek and Jonathan and said. "Could you two please turn your heads for a minute? I'm going to help her get dressed."

Derek understood what Nova meant when he saw Aliscea's underwear in a little pile beside her dress. "C'mon Jonathan...don't look," he whispered. He ushered Jonathan away for a bit.

Nova helped Aliscea out of her bikini bottoms, and then, to Aliscea's surprise, Nova undressed herself for a moment. She then stood naked before Aliscea. "This is the way your hips should look," said Nova softly. "Touch them...go ahead...see? You can just barely feel the pelvis? Yours sticks out too much to be healthy," said Nova as she ran her hands over Aliscea's body for a minute. "What do you eat?"

"I'm a vegetarian."

"I'm not. But, you need protein. Soybeans, tofu, nuts...I can make up a proper diet for you on the ship later on tonight."

"Thanks. My stomach is so thin," said Aliscea in a sad voice.

"That stomach...does it hurt you to be with Paul? I mean...when he lays on top of you?"

"A little," said Aliscea with a trembling lip. "I've gotten thinner since I've married him."

"Well, I'd eat better, and see if you can lay on your side or lie on top when you're alone with him," said Nova quietly. "Uh...Derek and I...experiment with different positions."

"You love him a lot, don't you?" said Aliscea softly. "You're blushing...just talking about him. And I can tell..."

"Well, don't let our men know that!" whispered Nova. "C'mon. Let me get you into your clothes."

"What about yours?"

"They're some distance away; I'm okay in this for now, given our current audience," said Nova as she gathered up her swimsuit. Nova dressed, and then she helped Aliscea back into her underwear and dress. "No sandals today?"

"I left them back in my tower. You don't need shoes on in the sand."

"Good point," said Nova. "I have boots, but they're back with my uniform. Sure you don't need them?"

Aliscea shook her head. "I'm okay like this," she said as Nova helped her close her black dress from behind. "My ladies in waiting used to help me like this," she said sadly. "I'm still having a hard time learning to do some things for myself. I'm sorry, Nova."

"It's all right. You must be suffering from quite some culture shock."

"I am," said Aliscea as she stood there while Nova helped Jonathan back into his clothes. "Maybe that's why I'm throwing myself into this so much."

"I think I understand you," said Derek. "Better than you think."

"C'mon, Derek...let's go," said Nova. "We'll find our uniforms and get back to the ship."

Aliscea stood there with Jonathan as Derek and Nova walked off hand-in-hand. Finally, after thinking for a while, she said, "Jonathan, let me take you back to Conor and Astra. Then, I'll go find Paul on the ship."

"Okay," he said. "Thanks for the walk, Aliscea." He buckled his sandals and then skipped off towards the boat.

"Don't mention it," said Aliscea sadly as the wind blew through her hair.

* * *

Later on that night, Nova awoke from a fitful sleep on the _Argo_. She had gone to sleep in the nude, expecting that Derek would soon be in beside her. He never came, so she had thrown on a nightgown when she had awakened once; without him, the Captain's Quarters could be cold.

_Where **is** he?_ she thought as she looked around the dark cabin. _It's oh-one hundred on the third already. He said he'd be here! Jeepers! He can't be doing work at this hour, can he? Damnit, sometimes the man is so obsessed. _

Nova got up, stepped into her shower thongs, and made herself some jasmine tea. Then, she sat in Derek's work chair, sipping at the tea as she watched the stars. Eventually, she got relaxed, kicked off her slippers, and put her bare feet up on the console that held some of Derek's shipboard instruments. Then, she waited.

_Where is he? He promised me we'd have this night together before the battle. Did he stand me up? What can he be doing? Where can he be? What is on his...?_

Some time passed. It was about a half an hour. Then, Nova kicked on her shoes, stood, and flung open his locker. His gunbelt and astro-automatic were missing.

"Of course," she said out loud. "Girl, how could you have been so stupid? If he knows we have a big battle coming up...he's practicing. Well, I can't run around the ship like this, so..."

Nova then shut her husband's locker and opened her own. Shivering against the cold, the nightgown came off, and she reached for fresh undergarments and a fresh uniform...

* * *

Captain Wildstar was working out, alone, in the _Argo's_ Combat Simulation Room near the target range. He had set the robotic arms for a particularly vicious firing pattern, and he jumped back as he just barely dodged the fire. He fired a few practice rounds at the arms, wincing as one practice-intensity bolt hit him. But, he just somersaulted and fired again and again, catching his breath in the near-darkness as the simulated battle continued.

The arms fired yet again, but Derek gritted his teeth and fired a pattern at the arms. He thought, _Ten__, twenty shots...how much ammo do I have left in this pack...? I have to be able to fight if we get boarded for real in that battle. I can't let them take the crew; the ship...Nova. Damnit, they'd better not hurt a hair on her head! I hope she understands why I'm doing this before bed...I've got to be ready. I just have to be!_

Derek fired again, but his eyes were dazzled as the lights suddenly came up.

He blinked, looking at the slender form silhouetted in the suddenly bright light.

"Derek," said his wife's familiar voice in a tone between anger and pleading. "It's almost 0200 Hours. Are you ever coming to bed tonight?"

"Hold," barked Derek to the computer console. One of the arms stopped. He looked at the clock, and at Nova, and sighed. "I'm sorry. I forgot the time. I was just working out."

"For what reason? You're just going to work yourself to death!"

"So?" he said as he pulled his shirt off and threw a towel over his shoulders. "You were down here today with your astro-automatic before we hit the beach."

"Yes, but I know when to rest," she said as she put a hand on his shoulders. "Don't you know that with Rosstowski on Iscandar with Aliscea, that you'll have to sit in the Combat station again in this battle?"

"I know that. That's why I'm practicing."

"Derek, you can't practice yourself into exhaustion. And...well...you promised that we'd be together tonight," she whispered. "We may never have another opportunity, Derek."

"Nova...I'm...I'm sorry..." he said. He sighed and shut off the computer. "C'mon. Let's go."

"Thanks," she said softly.

* * *

Later, it was 0310.

They had enjoyed their private lovemaking, and all of the tenderness that followed. Nova lay innocent, naked, and asleep on Derek's bare chest as he lay there in their cabin looking out at the stars.

_I envy you, Nova,_ thought Derek in silence. _You can turn it on and turn it off so easily and just go to sleep. Not like me. I'm an insomniac when I get tense._

Nova then twitched a little in his arms and cried out in her sleep "Derek! Derek? Protect me...protect me...from...her..."

"Nova?"

She awakened and looked at him with bleary eyes with drying tears and sleep caught in the corners. "Derek? I'm sorry. Just a bad dream. Yvona was...torturing me again. Will we win?"

"I hope so," said Derek softly as he stroked her hair. "C'mon...go back to sleep."

"Now you're telling _me_ to sleep. What a switch," she said in a slurred voice. She grabbed his hand. "C'mon...Derek, let's both get to sleep. Let's both wish..."

"...on a star?'

Nova nodded.

"sounds like a great idea," mumbled Derek. "Because, at this point, I'm not sure what else to do."

"Tomorrow is it," said Nova.

"Yes," he said. "Tomorrow is...it..."

* * *

**TO BE CONTINUED WITH ACT FOUR: "_The Crucible_"**

* * *

**_THERE ARE NOW 85 DAYS TO THE ARRIVAL OF EKOGARU IN EARTH'S SOLAR SYSTEM_**

* * *


	4. Chapter 4

* * *

**ALTERNATE TALES OF THE STAR FORCE**

**STAR BLAZERS****---****PASSICAGLIA AND FUGUE IN C MINOR**

**Being the eighth part of THE RIKASHA INCIDENT--- BY: Frederick P. Kopetz**

* * *

**ACT FOUR--THE CRUCIBLE**

* * *

**I. THE FIRST TRIAL**

**Space Battleship _Argo_**

**Planet Iscandar**

**Wednesday, March 3, 2202**

**0632 Hours Spacetime**

* * *

Captain Derek Wildstar was up, awake, and sitting at the Combat station on the _Argo_. The roar of the wave motion engine was building up below in the Engine Room. He, Venture, Nova, Sandor, Parsons, Yamazaki, Dash and Homer were all at their usual posts on the First Bridge.

They were looking up at the main video panel. Lysis was reporting in.

"As I have just informed Leader Desslok," said Lysis as his image disappeared in a burst of noise and static for a moment. "A...huge black cloud has just warped in just beyond the edge of the Sanzar System at bisect RN-52. In your measure, it is over a hundred thousand kilometers wide, and there's an energy source at the heart of it. I'll send you a view of it now."

The bridge crew looked up and saw a huge, black gaseous mass approaching the Sanzar System. It looked like a huge cloud, but then, it flashed with bizarre pink and blue lightning discharges from the inside.

"There's a fleet coming from it," said Lysis a moment later. "Over a hundred ships just came out of the object. It doesn't look like they're going to let us investigate...your assistance would be appreciated, Star Force..."

The transmission suddenly went dead.

"Message from Starsha!" cried Homer.

"Put her on the video panel."

Starsha's image came up. "Captain Wildstar, you recall the strategy that Desslok and I arranged this morning?"

"Yes, we do. I'm glad that you and he were able to come to terms."

"I did so reluctantly, Captain, at the advice of Aliscea and her mother, Astrena. I would like you to stick to what we arranged. It is important. Also, Aliscea's entering some kind of trance, and wants you to take off now. Paul is with her. She said just two words before she...entered her trance."

"They were?'

"_He's here."_

"Thank you, Queen Starsha."

"The best of luck to you, Captain." Then, the screen went dark.

"Well, let's not waste any time!" barked Captain Wildstar. "Yamazaki, how's the engine?"

"Both boosters are balanced and running."

"Weigh anchor," said Derek.

"Weighing anchor," said Venture.

The _Argo's_ rocket anchor came up as the space battleship's navigation lights went on.

"Ahead, slow speed. Clear the dock!"

"Ahead, slow," repeated Venture.

With a roar, the _Argo_ began to cruise forward away from Mother Town.

"Derek, the wind is picking up," said Nova. "I'm not sure what's causing it...maybe..."

"No need to worry," he said. "Venture, give us more speed."

"Roger."

The _Argo_ picked up speed, rushing on as the ship's store of wave motion energy built up.

On the dock, Astra, Conor, Jonathan, a few others were waving goodbye, wishing the _Argo_ Godspeed as the huge space battleship roared off into battle to help defend Iscandar against Ekogaru's immediate onslaught and to defend Earth against the Dark Lord's future attack.

"Energy's building up; it's at 100 now."

"Sixty seconds to liftoff," said Venture.

"All hands, brace for takeoff," said Captain Wildstar over the ship's PA system.

Down below, hands in different Groups were fastening their safety belts.

"Wave energy, now at 120!" said Yamazaki.

"_Argo_, ascend!" said Wildstar.

"_Argo_, taking off," said Venture. He pulled back on the yoke, and the _Argo_ reared up out of Iscandar's blue sea, seeking the sky and the sunrise. At last, the great and terrible moment had begun.

With the Star Force's mission now almost two months old, the showdown with Ekogaru himself had started.

* * *

Not long after the _Argo_ blasted away from Iscandar, Leader Desslok contacted them.

"You were going to go out and assist Lysis at RN-52 at the edge of the system?" asked Desslok.

"Yes, we were," said Captain Wildstar. "Is something wrong?"

Desslok stood in thought. "I was able to arrange a strategy of sorts with Queen Starsha and her...Consort. Her Consort would like us to bring down as many enemy ships as possible before they enter the system. I would like you to assist Lysis, if you can until I get there. Then, leave the battle to me. When you break off the engagement with the enemy, Queen Starsha would like you to enter the cloud and probe it to ascertain the size of the enemy Fortress; then she would like you to warp back to Iscandar with the results."

"That was similar to what we discussed with Starsha this morning, Desslok. Thank you."

"My best wishes to you and Lysis in the battle," said Desslok. "I hope to see you soon."

"Thank you," said Captain Wildstar.

"Well?" said Venture.

"We're going to have to execute a space warp," said Derek. "Mark, prepare to warp us straight to RN-52. Nova, calculate a course as soon as possible. Yamazaki, prepare the wave engine for a space warp."

"Yessir," they said.

_Once again, so much depends upon us,_ thought Derek as his crew got to work.

* * *

On Iscandar, Aliscea knelt in Starsha's audience chamber at the top of her tower in Mother Town as the wind howled outside and the sea kicked up into the streets of Mother Town. Only Paul Rosstowski, Alex Wildstar, and Queen Starsha herself were there.

"How is it going?" asked Starsha softly. Paul stood there in silence with his hand on his wife's shoulder, willing strength into her frail body.

"Thank you for helping me to focus," said Aliscea as her tears hit the floor. "I have been in touch with Ekogaru's dark spirit ever since the sun came up."

"And?"

"I've succeeded, so far, in befuddling him, I think. He doesn't think there's any life here on Iscandar. That's what I want him to think. I want him to be kept befuddled and distracted until he draws close enough to Iscandar for me to be able to do something. Then, I want to go to the balcony. You know what I have to do, Starsha."

The Queen nodded, tears in her eyes.

"Are you going to live through this?" asked Paul. "You...were with me last night, and you said it might be the last time..."

"It might well be," said Aliscea. "All of you will live, but I may not. I don't know how it will happen, but...I have foreseen..."

"Starsha, what will the Gamilons and the Star Force be doing?" asked Alex.

"They will be distracting him," said Starsha. "Ekogaru means to attack both by spiritual and conventional means. Your brother and the Gamilons will, I hope, hold off the conventional attack. Aliscea must hold off the spiritual attack. It is on her."

Alex looked in pity at the trembling woman barely out of her teens. He wondered how she could stop something as immense as Ekogaru's Fortress...

* * *

**II. AT POINT RN-52**

**Space Battleship _Argo_**

**The Edge of the Sanzar System**

**Wednesday, March 3, 2202**

**0707 Hours Spacetime**

* * *

A burst of multi-colored light appeared in deep space at the very edge of the Sanzar System. A quick moment passed, and the burst of light solidified into the space battleship _Argo_.

Venture sat calmly at his post as the usual hum faded. "Warp completed," he said.

"I've spotted Lysis' fleet on radar," said Nova. "They're not far from us."

"Communication from General Lysis," said Homer.

This time, Captain Wildstar saluted when Lysis came on the screen. After a long pause, Lysis returned the salute.

"Captain Wildstar; we're using Attack Plan Gamma as we practiced the other day. Per that plan, I'd like you to just keep back. My fleet is going to engage the enemy battleships when they emerge from the black cloud around the Fortress. We'll keep them busy while you prepare your wave motion gun. When I send a single microburst of data, my fleet will part to permit you to fire."

"Lysis, if we do that, you might..."

"I know, Wildstar," said Lysis. "I have met Death before and have made my peace with her. If I die today in the defense of the Empire, it will be a good death. An honorable death. I will have gone down fighting at my Leader's orders. There is one last thing I would like to say before we part."

"Which is?"

"If I do not see you again, I see now why Captain Avatar chose you to be his successor, Captain Wildstar. Like him, you are a brave and resourceful commander. If I die today, it will be an honor to die as your comrade. Farewell."

"Thank you, General," said Captain Wildstar. Derek took a deep breath. "Good luck."

Lysis nodded, and the screen went black.

"Derek, Lysis' fleet is spreading out," said Nova.

"He's also putting a destroyer screen around us," said Holly from her post.

A moment later, the battle began. The Technomugar Fleet attacked first, targeting destroyer after destroyer in Lysis' fleet. The smaller Gamilon destroyers fought back bravely, but their guns were unable to penetrate the armor of the large, hulking black enemy battlewagons. The enemy ships fired as one, sending gouts of green fire at the defending Gamilons.

Brave soldiers died in quick agony as they faced the frustration of being unable to fend off their attackers despite their best efforts.

"This isn't any good!" yelled Volgarr as he watched the carnage from the bridge of Lysis' flagship. "We're losing to those bastards!"

"It's not over yet," said Lysis. "Carriers, launch attack planes! Hit those ships! Concentrate your attack on the bridge towers. They seem to be the most vulnerable parts of the enemy ships."

A moment later, the older, boomerang-shaped Gamilon planes took off from the disk-shaped light Gamilon carriers. The planes were heavy fighter-bombers, packed with missiles. Each of the planes could manage quite a barrage.

They flew in for the attack and began to cause damage, even though many of them were simply shot down. Some of the Gamilon pilots were so determined to do what had to be done after they ran out of missiles that they simply gritted their teeth and flew at the bridges of the 600-meter long enemy battleships like Terran _kamikaze_ pilots of old. Like those pilots, they were yelling defiance at the enemy as they spent their lives in efforts to bring down the enemy space battleships.

Soon, their efforts bore fruit, even though it was bitter, as many of the enemy ships blew apart, and others rammed into each other. But, there were enough Technomugar ships left to continue the massacre against the Gamilons.

And, the Gamilon pilots came on, spending their lives like dust in the wind to defend the _Argo _and their flagship.

Captain Wildstar looked on at the spectacle in utter disbelief. "Look at the way those men are dying. And to think they were attacking us a few days ago...I don't understand it!"

"They're doing their duty to Leader Desslok by bringing down those ships and protecting us," said Nova. "But...what a terrible cost! We can't let them do that _alone_!"

"No, we can't," said Derek.

"Wildstar, we're supposed to await our opening," said Venture.

"That's true," said Derek. "But, nothing says I can't send in the Tigers to help those men out! Conroy! Take off with two squadrons at once!"

"Roger," said Conroy a few minutes later from his cockpit. "First squadron of Black Tigers, _take__ off! _Fourth squadron, follow me out!"

"Acknowledged!" cried Tatiana Lubyanska from her plane. _Diane, you take care,_ she thought as she prepared to take off.

The planes took off, roaring out of their respective places aboard the _Argo_ like burning arrows. Soon, they joined the Gamilons in battle, attacking the bridge towers and gun turrets of the enemy ships along with their blue and Caucasian-colored allies from Lysis' fleet.

The _Argo _took a hit or two herself, but she limited her defense to firing at some approaching Technomugar planes with her pulse lasers. In the background, the ominous cloud grew ever closer. Then, with the ferocity of a sudden summer storm, several titanic energy beams roared out of the cloud, blasting right at the enemy fleet.

Aboard Lysis' flagship, everything went dark after the Gamilon battleship took a hit to her stern.

Lysis and Volgarr struggled to their feet, with their bridge crew yelling status reports over the noise of various sirens going off. Small fires had broken out in the background, and Lysis' cyborg-repaired face was streaked with soot.

"Sir, we can't take much more of this!" cried Volgarr.

"Calm down, _all of you_!" shot back Lysis. "It's obvious now. The fleet was there to pin us down so that the Fortress could move in for the attack. If we get that fleet, we can launch an attack on the Fortress."

"But Desslok said we weren't to attempt an attack."

"Did he, Volgarr? Look at the course projection. That cloud is heading right towards Gamilon herself. As ruined as it is, we can't let our mother world be destroyed. First, we have to stop this fleet, then, we can mass to attack the Fortress."

"General," said a crewman. "The _Argo _has sent some of her fighter planes in to help us, and she's firing at the enemy fleet."

"Not yet," said Lysis. "Put me through to Wildstar!"

* * *

Lysis came up on the _Argo's_ main screen. "Captain Wildstar! Why are you going against our strategy?"

"I couldn't let your men die like that; alone," said Derek in a heated tone of voice. "And we're under attack ourselves, now; can't you see that?"

"Damn your compassion! Someday, it will be the death of you," said Lysis. "It was my job to throw myself in harm's way so you could do yours. All of us are ready to die; especially because Gamilon is threatened. It'll be good to go out like that, today, right here, at the edge of the Sanzar System. Now, prepare your wave motion gun and pull in your pilots. If I die, don't let it be in vain Captain Wildstar...I..."

"General!" yelled Volgarr in the background. "They've knocked out our aft turrets! More fire is coming right at our stern..."

"Hard about!" snapped Lysis. "Wildstar, we're not finished..."

Then, the screen went white, and Derek gritted his teeth as he heard screams in the background. Screams and the sound of grinding metal. There was the dull thud of an explosion, and then the screen went dark and silent.

From the radar, Nova wiped away tears that she didn't expect would come. "Derek," she said in a small voice. "They just got the Gamilon flagship. Lysis...Lysis is dead."

"My God," said Venture.

"He went down like Captain Gideon did at Titan," said Sandor in a somber voice.

At her post, not sure why, Holly Parsons fought to hold back tears. Even Dash felt a pang of regret at the brave death of an honorable former enemy who had ended his life as an ally.

Derek gritted his teeth, and he got up and snapped a salute while the enemy continued to attack the _Argo_ as well as what remained of Lysis' fleet. "Thank you, General Lysis. And farewell. Let us have that drink together in the next life...as friends. Black Tigers, return to the ship! Dash, stop firing. Venture, just try to evade the enemy fire as best we can. Stop all engines! Yamazaki, prepare to transfer all power to the wave motion gun on my mark."

"Yessir," said Yamazaki.

"Conroy's squadron is back in now, and Lubyanska's right behind him," said Homer.

"Now, Yamazaki." said Derek.

At that, the lights on the bridge of the _Argo_ went dim. The preparations for firing began, even as missiles and beams of energy streaked around the _Argo_ like mosquitoes in a swamp.

"Our target is the enemy fleet," said Derek as the hum of energy buildup started. "We'll just have to hang firm for two more minutes."

* * *

Deep inside the black cloud that surrounded the Technomugar Fortress, Ekogaru the Great and Yvona sat together at their massive, ornately constructed stone and brass organ; an organ that looked like something from an ancient Gothic cathedral crossed with the results of a nightmare. They were flanked by Vergar and by an officer known as Taramatz.

Taramatz shivered as he looked at an ornate carving above the keyboard, right above the first row of stop knobs. It was a skull with illuminated red eyes that looked as if it might be a kind of ivory...or, was it actual bone from one of Ekogaru's enemies? Taramatz didn't know for sure, and, perhaps, he didn't care to know.

"What an honor it is to be allowed into your Sanctum, My Lord," lied Taramatz, who was merely a hundred years old.

"I had to. I have Gralnacz out there with the Fleet," said Ekogaru. He pressed a key on his organ and brought Gralnacz up on his screen.

"Gralnacz. Bring in your main body; leave Harat's squadron behind as a diversion. Do not let him know that I consider him expendable for his past failures and that his squadron will soon be a target. When you arrive back here, I shall warp to the orbit of the ninth and tenth planets of this star system. They occupy the same orbit, and the ninth planet flanks Gamilon, which, as the eighth planet of this system, occupies the same orbit as Iscandar, the seventh planet. Then, I shall deal with the ninth planet, and Desslok, before I deal with Gamilon itself. Understood?"

"Yes, My Lord," said Gralnacz. "I am giving the order to recall the rest of the fleet now."

"Yvona, how are the efforts on Earth going?"

"I've been in touch with Joshua," said Yvona. "Sandberg and Weiner were almost spotted, but Cha'rif and Joshua are working to open up that second front. Through Joshua, I've also speaking been with someone else; an officer named Christiana Windsor. She is in Unit Five of Military Intelligence; Special Services. I believe we have her successfully turned."

"Excellent," said Ekogaru. "We shall warp out soon."

An anonymous voice on a speaker said, "Gralnacz has just turned his fleet around. He is about to warp."

* * *

On the _Argo_, screened by six Gamilon destroyers that were taking heavy damage, Captain Wildstar was almost ready to attack.

"Safety lock opened," said Yamazaki. "The energy level is now ninety percent."

"Sixty seconds to firing," said Derek. "All hands, prepare anti-shock and anti-flash defenses. Open target scope."

On the bridge crew, the goggles went down, and the target scope came up with a buzz. "Range to enemy fleet, twenty-one megameters," said Nova from her post. "Derek, we're right on..._huh?_ Half the fleet's just disappeared! They've warped!"

"Maybe they're trying something," said Sandor.

"I still think we should keep up the attack to get the rest of them," said Dash.

"Nova, how many targets do we still have?" asked Derek.

"Fifty battleships, plus escorts," she said.

"Let's get them, but let's watch our back," said Venture.

"Thirty seconds to firing," said Derek.

"The energy count is now a hundred and ten percent," said Yamazaki over the whine.

* * *

"I'm in," said Gralnacz.

"Good," said Ekogaru. "Vergar! Get us out of here! Then, we follow the plan we discussed yesterday."

"Yes, My Lord," said Vergar, who walked away from the organ to work a console. "Warp the Fortress!" he ordered. "Disperse the camouflage when we emerge from warp!"

"Yessir," said another cold voice over a comm circuit.

Ekogaru smiled and shut his eyes while a roar of energy built up just within their hearing range. The Grand Fortress was ready to move again.

* * *

"Five...four...three...two...one, ZERO!" said Derek. "FIRE!"

Wildstar pushed down on the firing stud. The _Argo's _wave motion gun fired, shooting a stream of blue death towards the enemy fleet.

On his flagship, Technomugar General Harat screamed as the wave energy consumed him just like it did anyone else who might get into its path without adequate protection. The Technomugar battleships went up in flames, as they were lighter than the Goraizu Fortress that Gralnacz had previously used to attack Earth back in the 20th Century.

The energy beam then roared on into the black cloud, hitting something deep within the cloud and causing a burst of blue lightning.

For a moment, Derek Wildstar's heart leaped. _We got them?_ he thought. _Is that the end of Ekogaru?_

Then, Holly Parsons jumped up from her post. "Look!" she cried.

Before their eyes, the black cloud faded away like a phantom in a bad dream, leaving only open space.

"They...they warped out," said Nova. "It was a trick!"

A tense, pregnant moment passed on the _Argo's_ quiet bridge. "I wonder where they could have gone?' said Venture. "Surely Ekogaru isn't going to give up that easily."

"Iscandar," murmured Sandor. "He must be heading straight for Iscandar. He leapfrogged over us and the Gamilon fleet."

"Nova!" cried Derek. "Calculate a course for Iscandar...and fast!"

"Yessir," she said with sweat running down her back under her tight uniform.

* * *

**III. CHAOS AT SANZARAT**

**Gamilon Empire Listening Post 38**

**The Ninth Planet of the Sanzar System**

**Wednesday, March 3, 2202**

**0753 Hours Spacetime**

* * *

"So, what do we have to report to the Grand Fleet?" said a minor Gamilon officer in brown armor who sat behind a console inside Listening Post 38 on Sanzarat. This listening post, a small outpost on a rocky outer planet of the system, had once been a major part of the Empire's Defense Line. The semi-abandoned post had just been reactivated a few days ago when Desslok's fleet had re-entered the Sanzar System.

"Nothing," said an enlisted man who was his assistant. "The Grand Fleet's under radio silence off between here and Gamilon, the Star Force is off with Lysis, and Starsha hasn't even sent her regards. Boring, sir. No action."

"Just like it was when I was stationed here two years ago," yawned the Caucasian-skinned officer who had been born on one of Gamilon's colony worlds and had come up through the ranks. "All we really did of note was reported that the _Argo _passed here with our recon satellites, and we left the rest of the job to Desslok. Sadly, the Great Leader muffed it up. Lost my wife in the holocaust that followed."

"You sound disloyal, sir."

"I'm not disloyal, just mad," said the officer. "Tasha was a good wife. And, when she died, she was pregnant."

"I'm sorry, Lieutenant Kerlak."

"Don't mention it," said Kerlak as he lit up a cigarette and began to smoke. "I'll find another wife...someday. When we quit wandering, that is. Gamilon. We're right in sight of her, and she's nothing but a big tomb for our people," said Kerlak as he brought a view of the mottled green, black, and orange world up on a screen. "No one'll ever live there again. Just too unstable. Nothing but a big piece of rock that will soon collapse into itself sooner or later...or explode. No good to anyone, now."

The ground shook a moment later.

"What was that?" asked the sergeant.

"I'm not sure; this planet isn't very geologically active; I'd better call the _Gamilstadt_..."

* * *

"Leader Desslok," said General Talan aboard Desslok's flagship. "A report from Sanzarat. They're picking up a tremor of some sort."

"I wonder if it has anything to do with that sudden loss of communications from Lysis?" mused Desslok while he sat in his command chair aboard the _Gamilstadt_. "I wish Wildstar would report in to let us know what's happened out there...I..."

The _Gamilstadt_ rocked under them a moment later, and then, the ship heeled to starboard so hard that most of the bridge crew, Desslok included, fell to the deck.

"What's going on?" asked Desslok while he struggled up from the deck. "All commanders, report..."

Suddenly, a grand wave of hyperspatial displacement sent the Grand Fleet flying in all directions like tenpins struck by a careening bowling ball. Through the bridge windows of his spinning flagship, Desslok saw an expanding field of greenish-blue light, and then saw a huge black mass, ablaze with multi-colored lights, appearing at the center of the mass.

"Get this ship back on course!" demanded Desslok.

"We're trying, sir!" cried a hapless armored crewman. "She's rocking too hard for us to manage!"

Desslok's teeth bared themselves in a temperamental snarl as he watched the man struggling. "Call for aid!"

"Sir...I think I can get it my..."

"IDIOT!" yelled Desslok as the Leader of Gamilon lost his cool for a moment and shot the crewman with a hastily drawn sidearm.

Another two crewmen pushed the body aside and took the unfortunate man's place. But, they couldn't get the _Gamilstadt _back on course, either.

"Talan!" cried Desslok.

"Of course, sir," he said. "Let me assist you."

Talan worked the helm yoke along with the men, and as they were just able to get the ship back under control, another wave hit.

Then, Desslok himself jumped to the controls and helped Talan and the crewmen get his flagship back on something of an even course again.

Talan mopped his brow a moment later. "Sir, that was a close one."

"As if I didn't notice," said Desslok. He looked down at the body of the crewman he had killed and then at his own blaster. With a snarl of rage, he pulled out his own sidearm and flung it across the bridge.

"It was my fault, Talan," said Desslok. "When you see to the Fleet, see to it that an appropriate message is prepared for Gernak's family. Tell them he died doing his duty, and see to it that the family is honored and not treated like the family of a traitor."

"Yessir."

While Talan bent to a computer terminal to begin noting Desslok's command, a crewman called out. "We're receiving a message!"

"From where?' asked Desslok. He looked out into space and shivered a little as the black cloud dispersed, and, for the first time, the Technomugar Fortress itself was revealed to the Gamilons in all of its ugliness and arrogance. It hung many thousands of megameters behind Sanzarat like an ugly, black moon.

"Directly from the Fortress. Shall I switch to the main screen?"

Desslok nodded. Then, he looked up as an image of nearly unrelieved blackness came on the screen. Blackness pierced only by two gleaming red eyes.

Some of the_ Gamilstadt's _bridge crew fell to their knees in fear. Desslok looked around the bridge, and, ignoring the pounding of his own heart, he drew himself up to his full height and said, "I am Desslok, Leader of Gamilon, and Emperor of the former domains of the Garuman Empire. Who are _you_?"

"You don't recall?" said a sepulchral voice. "We spoke before; at Pellias. I am Lord Ekogaru the Great, the Lord of the Universe. Soon, you shall bow to my authority."

The deck of the _Gamilstadt_ shook. Desslok looked around and restored calm with a glance. On Sanzarat, part of the Gamilon base had collapsed. The gravitational balance of the planet was being disturbed by the Grand Fortress itself. The disturbance to the balance of the Sanzar System thanks to the very presence of this twisted machine was massive, and it was felt all the way to Gamilon and Iscandar themselves.

* * *

On Iscandar, the Palace in Mother Town shook. Paul Rosstowski noticed that, for the past few minutes, Aliscea had begun to glow with a soft light, as from within.

"Come closer," she murmured.

"Aliscea, look up in the sky. I can see that...thing from here. Do you see those lights in the sky? Starsha says that that is _it_." said Paul. "I don't want that Goddamn thing coming any closer than it already is."

"I want him to come closer to Iscandar without noticing it," said Aliscea. "And so does my mother."

"How do you know that?'

_Don't you know I am in touch with her?_ she sent.

_Sorry,_ thought Paul.

"The closer he comes, the deeper he comes into my trap," whispered Aliscea. "I'm ready for you now, Ekogaru. I need help from no one. I can take you. Come closer. Come on, you stinking mechanical son-of-a-bitch," said Aliscea with a smile.

"Don't provoke him!" cried Starsha. "And where did you learn to talk like that?"

"From him," said Aliscea proudly, pointing to Paul. "I am the Spirit of Pellias. But thanks to my love, I'm a little bit of South Philly, too. And, yes, I'm making him think I'm on the _Argo_."

"Is he attacking it?" said Alex. "Is Derek all right?"

"Derek is fine," said Aliscea. "Desslok is keeping him distracted and keeping him from looking at the _Argo_," said Aliscea. "Talk away, Leader Desslok. Then bring him ON!"

And, at that, Aliscea grew a little brighter, and she spread her arms with a confident smile.

"Come on," she repeated in a soft voice. "C'mon, Ekogaru...just keep on coming towards these planets...ignore Sanzarat..."

* * *

In the meantime, the tense debate between Desslok and Ekogaru continued.

"This is a star system claimed by the Gamilon Empire as a memorial to our former glory and the glory of Iscandar. We were civilized peoples. What are you?"

"Your God," said Ekogaru. Then, there was a pause.

"My Lord," whispered Yvona in his ear. "I'm picking up Aliscea. I think she's on the _Argo_. Do you want her captured alive?"

Ekogaru nodded curtly at Yvona once. Then, he turned again to Desslok. "Well?" he said. "What of my divinity, Gamilon?"

"We shall see, you abomination."

"My claim is true, Gamilon."

"Is it?" said Desslok.

* * *

A moment later, the _Argo_ and her Gamilon escorts warped in near the rear of the fleet.

"My God, look at that thing," muttered Venture as he and the rest of the _Argo's_ bridge crew actually beheld their enemy for the first time.

"It's over fifteen thousand kilometers in diameter," whispered Nova as she scanned it. "Its mass is greater than that of Earth!"

"It has the restrained energy of a good-sized star in its power plant," said Sandor after he looked at his instruments. "If it explodes, it could take this whole system out."

"And us with it?" said Holly fearfully.

Sandor nodded.

"That thing makes the Comet Empire seem like a toy," said Dash.

Homer sat up at his post. "Hey, everyone! Desslok's talking to the Dark Lord!"

"What?" said Captain Wildstar. He raised his hand, but everyone left their posts and ran off towards Homer's station. Shrugging to himself, he followed.

_Just like the time Zordar and Trelaina had their chat,_ Derek thought. _But what can Desslok do, I wonder? Sure, he has a huge fleet, but can even he defeat that? Is he going to try to attack that thing? Isn't that Aliscea's job?_

* * *

Desslok chuckled. "You misunderstand me. To my people, I am a god and great victor. I understand that you are a murderer and a practitioner of genocide."

"So are you, Gamilon. I am Ekogaru the Great. I am great. Are you not also a murderer of innocents?"

"Only because our people were dying. I have since seen that there is a different path. I mean to take it. But, to ensure the peace of this local Group, I demand that you depart from here and return from whence you came. In light of your power and technological accomplishments, I am giving you one warning. If you do not heed it, I will be forced to attack you."

Ekogaru just laughed like a maniac. "An organic, telling ME what to do?"

"You don't know me, Ekogaru."

"Oh, shut _up_," smiled the Dark Lord. "Yvona...let's play a duet."

"What good will that do?" demanded Desslok.

"You'll se," said Ekogaru. He signaled for the line to Desslok's ship to be closed.

"Are we turned towards that planet?" said Ekogaru.

"We are, sir," said Vergar.

"Let's play," said Ekogaru. "Yvona..."

Yvona hit a strange, brittle, and discordant chord. Reddish energy surges roared from the Fortress a moment later.

Then, a second later, Ekogaru and Yvona began to play a distorted, warped version of _Bach's Toccata and Fugue in D Minor _that went out over all of the comm bands. The volume was so high that it came out of the organ sounding more like a bizarre, twisted noise than music. It was the sort of effect that a teenager would get if he was in a rebellious mood and turned the volume up to "30" on his home stereo system.

The sounds were so loud that, on the _Argo_, the bridge speakers blew out after three "notes" and the communications panel exploded in a shower of sparks. Homer got up screaming...his arm was on fire.

Nova grabbed him and beat out the flames with her bare hands, ignoring the pain. Behind her, Venture and Dash ran up with fire extinguishers and put out the blaze.

The result was much the same on most of the Gamilon Fleet. Ship after ship went silent with dead comm systems, bridge fires...some of the smaller destroyers even exploded due to massive overloads and shorts. In a moment, a Fleet that had drawn back together and become a disciplined fighting unit again was blown apart like dust in the wind.

"Get them to regroup!" demanded Desslok on his flagship as, with cold going through his body, it was evident that Sanzarat was dying. Beam after beam blasted into the small planet. The Gamilon listening post was already history.

"Sir, communications are out," said Talan.

Desslok snarled at the microphone in his hand and then flung it to the deck in utter frustration.

Finally, the Phased Density Cannon went off. Its green energy roared deep into Sanzarat's core, and, in a few moments, the planet glowed red, and then abruptly ceased to exist.

The Fortress then roared onwards like a steamroller, gathering speed with a deranged suddenness.

Then, refreshed by the energy surge, it warped again.

"It's gone," said a crewman on Desslok's flagship.

"Did you get a course heading on it?" asked Talan.

"I did, sir. You...and the Leader won't like it..."

"Speak, man!" roared Talan as he shook the frightened crewman. "Where is it _going_?"

"Gamilon."

* * *

**IV. PASSICAGLIA AND FUGUE IN C MINOR (First Movement)**

**The Vicinity of Planet Gamilon**

**Wednesday, March 3, 2202**

**0821 Hours Spacetime**

* * *

"Warp completed, my Lord," said a crewman over the intercom to Ekogaru's Audience Chamber.

"Excellent," said Ekogaru. He smiled at Yvona. "Wasn't Sanzarat a great meal?"

"Yes, and the deaths of those Gamilons," smiled Yvona. "And the fear in the hearts of the men on that Fleet. So much for the great Desslok, hm?"

"Oh, he'll pay in time," said Ekogaru. "Now, for his planet."

"Are we going to feed again?" asked Yvona.

"No, we're not...at least not fully. All I need from the planet is the Gamilasihum. It is a radioactive element; useful for energy transmission units. It will help build my Fleet." Ekogaru smiled as he pulled out stops on his organ. "Gamilon will not die. It will be raped and remade."

"Oh," said Yvona.

"Do not fear. It will be a base for us. I mean to take it after I take Earth," said Ekogaru with a warped smile_. "Passacaglia and Fugue in C Minor_, Yvona. Second Movement, please."

"What about the Gamilons?" said Yvona. "Won't they want it back?"

"After I check out Iscandar, a garrison is going down there, of course," said Ekogaru. "Don't worry. They'll live. For my ends...let's play again."

They began to plan just as Desslok's fleet began to advance upon the Fortress from the rear.

A battle started up. Ekogaru ignored it as he and Yvona played.

Beam after beam smashed into Gamilon a moment later. First, the planet's stony outer crust began to cave in; just as it had during the _Argo's_ attack two years ago. Only, now, the cataclysm was planet-wide.

On Gamilon, in the chaos, volcano after volcano began to erupt. Soon, the planet was festooned with tongues of magma and lava as it began to come apart.

* * *

To Desslok, this was intolerable. "All ships, stand back!" he said in an enraged tone as sweat ran down his brow. "Signal that, to the Fleet with signal lights too, Talan!" he demanded. "Bring up the Desslok gun!'"

"But, sir...we only have seven hundred ships left. We've lost almost a third of the Fleet in the past few minutes!"

"Our home..." said Desslok through tears. "He's destroying it! Our dead don't even have graves any longer! I want Gamilon to live, if only as a memorial! Obey me, Talan!"

"Yessir," said Talan through a sob.

"Bring up the Desslok gun," repeated another crewman.

The huge brazen firing unit came up. With a snarl on his face, Desslok grasped the firing lever.

"One minute to firing!" said a crewman. "Energy charge now at eighty-five percent!"

"Good," said Desslok. He was shaking with delight. "I'll stop _you_," he raged.

On the _Argo_, as the blaze had been put out after Nova had taken Homer to Sickbay, communications had been restored through the board on Bridge Number Three and then patched up to the first bridge. "Toriyama!" said Wildstar to the enlisted crewman who had taken Homer's post on Bridge Three. "Patch us through to Desslok's flagship! I've got to tell him to stop that! He'll die!"

"Yessir," said Toriyama.

A moment later, Desslok's image came up on the main screen. "Wildstar," he said. "I'm not going to stop! That madman is threatening everything we hold dear, and he'll turn his guns on Iscandar, Starsha, and Aliscea next! I've got to stop him somehow!"

"But, Desslok, you'll die...like Lysis did."

"Then I'll meet him in our version of your Valhalla," smiled Desslok. "Goodbye, Wildstar. You and Nova were wonderful comrades."

Then, the screen went dark. Wildstar screamed out Desslok's name as the Gamilon fired.

* * *

Out in space, Gamilon was now a boiling, surging and burning ball of flame surrounded with a weird red field that came from the Fortress. The molten world was being sucked dry of its valuable resources and then, as Ekogaru continued to play his warped fugue, another beam began to cool the planet down.

But, Desslok didn't know that. He watched as the pink surge of energy from his ship's cannon blasted out towards the Technomugar Fortress and did...

_...absolutely nothing._The deadly beam glanced off the huge black carapace of the Fortress like a pebble thrown by a child.

A moment later, a deadly stream of fire surged from the Fortress after the fields around Gamilon were released. Gamilon continued to glow, but its burning was soon overshadowed by the ferocity of Ekogaru's attack upon Desslok's fleet.

Ship after ship died. Carriers. Destroyers. Cruisers. Battleships. None of them had a chance to fight. The Gamilon Empire lost two hundred more ships in just three minutes.

Even the _Gamilstadt_ was battered. Desslok turned to speak to Talan, and was knocked to the deck by a sudden explosion as his blue command cruiser took a horrible direct hit.

He struggled to his feet. "Talan, can we manuever? We have to counterattack!"

"We can," said Talan. "But, you'll have to help me, sir. Then you may have to help in damage control efforts. Perhaps..."

Desslok looked around, and, to his shock, he heard Astrena's voice in his mind.

_Desslok, my love, you've done enough. Thank you. But, now, I need you. Your son in my womb needs you. Your people need you. Stand down and leave the rest to my daughter._

"Your daughter," said Desslok.

_Yes, your stepdaughter. Hurry._

Desslok nodded.

"What was that, sir?" said Talan.

"Aliscea," sighed Desslok. "We can't do any more for Gamilon now. Signal a retreat."

"Yessir."

* * *

"This is weird," said Sandor. He was gazing at the dials and readouts at his post.

"What is it?" said Captain Wildstar. Behind him, the lift door opened. Nova came back onto the bridge with the sheen of an artificial burn skin covering the heel of her left hand.

"Are you all right?" asked Derek as he turned to her.

"Hand stings, but I'll live," said Nova. "What's happening to Gamilon?"

"It's cooling," said Sandor. "The planet's temperature has dropped two hundred degrees Kelvin in the past ten minutes. And look at it," he said as he brought up a view of it on the main screen. "It looks like it's surrounded by clouds...and what we can see of the surface seems to be monoepidermal, so to speak."

"Uh, could you say that in English?" said Venture.

"I mean...it used to have that outer crust and inner crust? Remember? Now, it's like Earth...it's got just one crust, which seems to be forming now. I don't know what kind of power that Fortress has, but it appears that they can not only destroy worlds; they can also remake them in a new image. This may sound blasphemous, but Ekogaru's power seems to be almost godlike. I'd love to know how he did this," mused Sandor.

"What did he do?" said Dash.

"It looks like he fixed Gamilon. And, if I'm not mistaken...he's going to do the same to Iscandar," said Sandor.

"Oh, no!" said Nova. "Derek, he's going to kill everyone on Iscandar!"

Derek held Nova as she tried to hold back the sobs. They were helpless to do anything as the ugly, horrid, Fortress turned towards Iscandar and began to scan the planet...

* * *

"No life signs," said Gralnacz. "Nothing's alive down there. Do you wish to commence the operation now? We have those arrogant Gamilons scattered, and our landing party will be ready to hit Gamilon in an hour after it cools."

"We might as well get to it," said Ekogaru. He began to adjust the stops on his organ again. "Yvona, you suggest a song this time."

"Beethoven" she said with a smile. "_Fur Eloise_ for organ."

"I haven't heard it, so you play this time, Yvona."

"Marvelous, my Lord," Yvona smiled, glad that she was being given a solo. She grabbed Ekogaru and kissed his mouth, mingling her abominable tongue with his as she touched him openly in a lewd, disgusting and suggestive manner that most couples saved for the bedroom or an isolated meadow or beach.

* * *

On Iscandar, Aliscea smiled. She was alone now, except for Paul. Even Starsha didn't want to look her doom right in the face. The Fortress now loomed in Iscandar's sky, almost as large as Gamilon herself.

"Paul."

"Yes, Aliscea?"

She kissed him. "This might be our last kiss," she whispered.

The two lovers shared a searching, deep kiss. Their tongues touched, and Paul touched his wife's rump and held her close. Tears ran down his cheeks as he held the glowing woman close to him, not wanting to let go.

"I'm ready," she whispered. "Please let go."

Paul nodded and stood back.

Immediately, Aliscea burned bright like a beacon. She threw out her arms and screamed at the sky.

**"This is a communication from Aliscea of Pellias and the peoples of Pellias, Iscandar, Gamilon, and Earth directly to Ekogaru the Great himself! Ekogaru! I _demand_ your answer!"**

Paul was simply speechless. He had never heard Aliscea use such a loud voice before. He didn't know how she expected to reach HIM like that without a comm unit.

A minute later, Ekogaru responded with one, loud, thunderous word. **"Yes?"**

**"LEAVE!"** demanded Aliscea in an equally thunderous voice. She now no longer looked human. She looked more like an avenging Angel of Death.

Ekogaru simply laughed. His laughter shattered crystal buildings on Iscandar. His laughter blew a hurricane-force wind in Aliscea's face that almost blinded Paul Rosstowski.

His laughter made Iscandar shake.

On the Fortress, Yvona was ready to play.

On Iscandar, Aliscea threw back her head, extended her arms, and then...

...she screamed.

* * *

Something that looked like lightning mixed with fire roared up from Aliscea's hands. It looked as if the Pellian had somehow become a human wave motion gun beam.

The beam started small, but it gathered strength, size, and punch as it roared up into the sky of Iscandar.

The beam was a meter wide when it left Aliscea's hands.

It was ten meters wide when it went a few hundred meters up...when it pierced Iscandar's lower atmosphere, it was twenty kilometers wide and growing wider.

When it roared into space, it was several hundred kilometers wide.

Yvona never got to play a note. She screamed and fell against Ekogaru as the expanding field smashed into the Technomugar Fortress.

For the first time in thousands of years, the arrogant construction rocked.

The massive ship creaked and groaned about the Dark Lord. The field began to crush it, snapping off towers, killing Technomugar troops like flies.

Ekogaru's cyborg legions began to die as they were literally roasted alive inside the blue, burning field.

Status reports began to roar in to Ekogaru.

"What?" he roared back. "You're losing control?"

"Yessir," said a frightened voice. "It's...it's...beginning to break up...it's..."

Ekogaru screamed as he fell to the deck with purplish blood pouring from his nose.

"My Lord!" cried Yvona.

Ekogaru blew his nose and more blood came out. "Aliscea!" he yelled. "Attack! Destroy that planet!"

"Lord, we can't attack...we..."

Ekogaru heard a beeping noise and ran to a screen. "Gralnacz! Vergar! We're losing structural integrity! WARP US OUT OF HERE!"

"Lord, if we warp, I don't know where we'll go...or how much of the ship we'll..."

"Then do it!" roared Ekogaru. He gritted his teeth and screamed, "I can't even TOUCH Aliscea! My psionic enhancements are useless! WARP!"

"Sir, we're beginning to explo..."

"DO IT!"

* * *

Just as fire burst out of the Technomugar Fortress, it disappeared in a great burst of light.

On the _Argo_, a loud burst of cheering went up.

"Yeah!" yelled Dash. "Aliscea did it!"

"Yaaaah!" yelled Hardy as he ran up on the bridge. "We won!"

Dash and Hardy cheered, and Nova got up and hugged Derek. "I think she did it, Derek! I'm so happy!"

"Yeah!" said Derek as he hugged her.

Nova laughed, feeling as if she wanted to dance. A minute later, she did for a moment. Holly got up and hugged Venture from behind, and Yamazaki shook hands with Derek. "Does this mean we can get home soon?"

"Maybe," said Derek. "I hope so..."

"Hmmm," said Sandor. "I picked up something odd in that ball of gas. Hard to analyze...this might take days."

"But we...I mean...Aliscea finished that thing, didn't she?" said Nova.

"I think she did," said Sandor to a fresh burst of cheering. Conroy had heard the news, and he was followed by Doctor Sane and IQ-9. IQ was carrying a huge case of sake.

"Let's celebrate!" yelled Doctor Sane. "Look at that beautiful sight," he said with a sniff while taking off his glasses to wipe away tears of joy. "This is the icing on the cake. All of that fighting finally accomplished something!"

The comm unit above Wildstar's Combat Station below the bridge window beeped. "Yes?" he said as he brought up the mike at his post.

"I have Rosstowski on the line. Voice-only."

"Patch him through."

"This is Rosstowski," he said. "Aliscea's very weak, but she just came out of her trance. She says she doesn't feel Ekogaru anywhere in the area. He must be dead, she thinks. And Starsha agrees with her."

"Paul, give her our thanks. We'll be landing on back Iscandar soon." He looked at what Sandor was doing and noticed he had a readout of Gamilon up at his post. "Sandor's analyzing what happened to Gamilon. It seems to have undergone some kind of...metamorphosis."

"Well, that's not the most important thing at the moment," said Rosstowski, "even though Desslok might think so, perhaps. The important thing is that we finally finished off Ekogaru! YEAAAH!"

"Yeah, we did," said Derek as tears of joy ran from his eyes at last. At last, he was beginning to believe it. "We'll see you guys later on Iscandar."

* * *

**V. VICTORY (?)**

**Planet Iscandar**

**Mother**** Town**

**Wednesday, March 3, 2202**

**1745 Hours Spacetime**

* * *

Queen Starsha knew that there was going to be a party. So, she let the celebrants have it on a very appropriate place; aboard the _Argo_, which was now back alongside the quay near Mother Town.

Behind it, also at anchor, sat the _Gamilstadt_, bobbing peacefully in the water. Starsha had finally allowed Desslok to set foot on Iscandar again both as a token of goodwill and also in appreciation for what the Gamilons, after all, had done to defend Iscandar along with Earth.

On the _Argo's_ weather deck, an impromptu sound system had been set up. Something like big-band music played in the background as Nova (with Derek's full consent) shared a jitterbug with Fraken of Gamilon. Luckily, for her, Fraken seemed to pick up Terran dancing fairly quickly; Nova's toes were quite safe from being trodden upon, even though she had changed back into her pink dress and dress sandals.

Derek ran by, carrying a bottle of sake. He was still in his Star Force whites. Nova, without missing a beat, grabbed the bottle from his hand and took a quick swig, and then wiped the lip of the bottle and offered some to Fraken.

"I'm not sure," he said.

"It's good, _try_ some!" giggled Nova.

Fraken shrugged and he took some. "Not bad!" he said. Another Gamilon officer ran up. Mystified, he took some. Then, he smiled. "You Terrans brew good stuff!" he said, clapping Wildstar on the back as "_In The Mood"_ came to an end.

Everyone around applauded, and Wildstar looked up at the sky. "I can't believe she did it, Nova," said Derek.

"Oh, she did," said Nova with a smile. She put an arm around her husband and gave him a kiss on the nose. "I wonder what's coming up next?"

"Did you make up the program?"

"No...someone from my Group did, along with someone from the Gamilon side."

Nova smiled as something that sounded like alien Viennese waltz music came up. "Is that Gamilon?" said Derek.

"I think so," said Nova. "Sounds like Strauss, doesn't it? Let's dance to this..."

"Good news!" said Sandor as he ran up. He tried to follow the Captain and Nova as they twirled around the deck together.

"Yeah?" said Derek.

"This had better be good, I'm dancing, Steve," said Nova as she pretended to punch Sandor in the nose.

"Well, I analyzed Gamilon. It's cooled more, the surface has stabilized, and it's raining."

"Probably raining acid," said Derek.

"It may not be. The Gamilons are helping us do a spectral analysis. It doesn't look like acid."

"What might it be?"

"Water," said Sandor. "And the crust seems to be thicker than it was before."

"Steve," said Nova "does that mean that...?"

"It means that if things go a certain way, and if the sulfur is somehow out of the loop, Gamilon _may_ be a livable planet again. That's why Desslok left in such a hurry. He's back there on his ship discussing the preliminary scans with some of his engineers. When things are stable enough, if the planet's ecosystem isn't filled with acid all over again, he may want to send an expedition after the exploration robots go down and back. Of course, no Technomugar troops ever got to land on Gamilon. Aliscea kind of kept that from happening."

"Can I go down?" said IQ-9. "I'm not just a robot. I'm a genius robot!"

"I'll have to talk to Desslok about that," said Sandor. "But, yes, tinwit, you might be able to go down and do some exploring."

"Oh boy, I hope I don't melt in the rain."

"Wear a raincoat!" giggled Nova.

"Are you drunk?" asked IQ.

"No, giggly," said Doctor Sane. "There's a difference between drunk and giggly. You should know it."

"Let me check," said IQ-9. He poured some sake over himself and then began to hiccup. "Hic," he said. "Now I'm drunk!"

Holly Parsons, who was in shorts and a t-shirt, laughed at that one, squealing as Venture caught her from behind in a hug. They began to kiss against the nearby weather deck railing, oblivious to IQ's antics for a minute.

The robot ran off hiccupping as Nova giggled a little more and took Mimi out of Doctor Sane's arms for a minute. She looked very happy, playing "get me" with Mimi as the cat tried to paw at her hand. A current 23rd century pop hit played in the background. The singer was singing in Japanese, and it was a very cute piece. Nova thought the title was "_Two Loves_". She rather liked it.

"H4ey, look!" yelled Homer, who was in good spirits, even though his arm was bandaged up. "Aliscea's here!"

"All right!" yelled Diane Henson as Paul helped a slightly shaky Aliscea up the gangplank. "Tell us, Aliscea. Is he really dead?"

"Well, I don't feel his presence, and I didn't feel him warp, but...yeah...Paul and Starsha and Astra and I agree that he's dead."

"YEAAH!" yelled Diane. She showered Aliscea with kisses and hoisted the protesting girl in the black dress up onto her shoulders. "Let's all give a big hand for Aliscea Rosstowski! Thanks to her, Mark Venture and Holly Parsons can go home, get married, and have a hot wedding night!"

"Yes!" yelled Hardy as he ran up and kissed a protesting Aliscea's left foot (easy to reach, since Diane was lifting her up on her shoulders and Aliscea wore her usual sandals). "Sorry, ma'am, but that's only because ah can't reach yoah lips!"

"I protest!" said Rosstowski. "Those lips belong to me!"

Tatiana Lubyanska ran up (in a swimsuit) and offered Diane some sake. She took the bottle and took a swig.

On the deck, some old 20th century Earth music began to play.

"Excuse me," said Fraken as he came up (with a giggling Terran nurse from the _Argo_ holding hands with him) "Captain Wildstar, can you explain the words of this song?"

"Words?" said Derek.

"Yes. What is...I quote "a_ Super Freak_?""

At that, Venture and Wildstar began to laugh.

* * *

Later on, Derek was sitting alone in the _Argo's_ communications booth, speaking with Commanding General Singleton. He had affected a more formal appearance, putting his peacoat and ascot back on for his talk with the Commander.

"So, Ekogaru is defeated?"

"We're 95 sure, sir," said Derek. "At any rate, we know that he's not in the system, and the Gamilons even found debris from that Fortress of his. They're analyzing it now to see what's happened."

Singleton closed his eyes for a moment. "We owe Aliscea a great debt of thanks," said the Commander. "Anything that we can do for her and Ensign Rosstowski...well...it won't be enough."

"I was thinking, sir," said Wildstar. "He's been such a supportive influence for her, and he's served so well...can we promote him to Lieutenant? Him and Hemsford."

"I don't have anything to say against it," said the Commander. "As for the Rikashans...the threat is gathering. How soon do you think you can be back?"

"Desslok has helped us to assist him in analyzing the results of Gamilon's apparent change and I've also offered to help any survey parties with food and medical assistance. We also have to analyze what became of the Fortress. Can we begin heading back in two weeks, sir?"

"Two weeks...that means you'd be back in a month afterwards...around the middle of April. Permission granted, Wildstar, but you might be subject to recall sooner if we need you."

"Of course, sir," said Derek as he saluted. "You can count on us, sir."

"One last thing. What effect does Aliscea think Ekogaru's death will have upon the Rikashans?'

"She thinks that maybe his death will disillusion them. Maybe they might even abort their holy war?"

"If that's the case, maybe we've just been delivered today, Captain. I'll be in touch," said Singleton.

He and Wildstar shared a salute, and the screen went blank.

_Well, that's that_, thought Wildstar. _Wonder what Nova's up to? She said she had work to do..._

* * *

It was around twenty-three hundred when Wildstar got back up to their quarters.

When he got there, he found Nova sitting on their bunk in full uniform, although she had taken her gunbelt off. She looked very quiet.

"Nova?" asked Derek as he shrugged out of the peacoat he had put on to talk with the Commander. "Are you all right?"

"Well, I was giggly before, but getting back into my uniform and doing some work got me thinking, Derek. Probably a silly fear, but..."

"But what?"

"Derek, what if he's not really dead?"

"Who?"

"The Dark Lord," she said as she put her face against her knees and shivered. "What if Aliscea _didn't_ kill him? What if he's just hurt? And _mad?_ A wounded animal is the most dangerous creature I know of, Derek."

"Nova, Aliscea said she's dead. I wish you'd believe her. And Starsha. And our instruments..."

"Guess I should," she sighed. "I guess I'm just being a silly old goose."

"Hey..." he said as he stroked her hair. "I can take care of that..."

"Derek," she said in a tiny voice.

At that, Derek sat on the bed and they embraced. Then, his hand began to undo the zipper on the back of Nova's uniform.

"What are you doing?" asked Nova.

"Getting you ready for bed."

"I'm not sleepy," she whispered.

She stroked Derek's cheek and gave him a kiss.

"Please, get back to what you were doing...with that zipper..."

"Nova..."

* * *

**45,000 Lightyears Away From Iscandar**

**At the Same Time...**

"They broke it," said a deep voice filled with rage. "They broke my dream. They broke my organ," he hissed.

In the smoking room, Ekogaru the Great picked some keys up from off his organ and threw them to the floor.

"Close to a million are dead," said Vergar as he coughed, fanning away some smoke.

"How is Yvona?" said Ekogaru.

"She's still being looked over by the doctors, Lord. They think she'll live."

"How's the warp mechanism?" said Ekogaru.

"Still broken," said Vergar. "We can't go anywhere...yet. And the Phased Density Cannon..."

"Spare me," said Ekogaru as he lifted his hand. It still had some of his "blood" on it. "Broken, right?"

"Yes, Lord. They're beginning to wonder if you are really in..."

"SILENCE!" said Ekogaru. "I may be beaten...for the nonce. I may be down, but I am not out. I have other plans. One way or the other, Aliscea of Pellias shall pay. NO ONE thwarts the plans of Ekogaru! NO ONE!"

**_To Be Continued With Act Five: "Farewell, Iscandar"_**

* * *

**_THERE ARE NOW ? DAYS TO THE ARRIVAL OF EKOGARU IN EARTH'S SOLAR SYSTEM_**

* * *


	5. Chapter 5

* * *

**ALTERNATE TALES OF THE STAR FORCE**

**STAR BLAZERS****---****PASSICAGLIA AND FUGUE IN C MINOR**

**Being the eighth part of THE RIKASHA INCIDENT--- BY: Frederick P. Kopetz**

* * *

**ACT FIVE--FAREWELL, ISCANDAR**

* * *

**I. THE MORNING AFTER**

**Planet Iscandar**

**Space Battleship _Argo_**

**Captain's Quarters**

**Thursday, March 4, 2202**

**0525 Hours Spacetime**

* * *

"Urrrrr," grumbled Captain Derek Wildstar as the alarm in the cabin he shared with Nova jerked him out of sleep. "Nova, can I shoot that thing?"

"No, you'd set off so many sensors it wouldn't be funny," she grumbled. "I'll try to ge' it..."

Nova sat up in bed, crab-walked to the edge of the bunk, and stuck her foot out. With a bit of a stretch, she was able to tap the alarm clock (which was built into a console by the bubbletop) off with her big toe. Then, she turned on her stomach, smiled, and said, "Derek, it's 0530 and you have a naked woman in your bunk. What are you gonna do about it?"

"Kiss her like crazy before I take my shower."

They cuddled, kissing themselves somewhat more awake, skin-to-skin. They knew damn well that they couldn't spend an hour doing this (and more intimate stuff) like they had last night, but they figured they'd make the best they could out of a stolen kiss and a few minutes before duty.

"Don't hog all the hot water in there," teased Nova as Derek snuggled her and then got up. "And turn up the heat...I'm cold," she said, pulling the covers up over herself.

"Don't you dare fall asleep again, Lieutenant," said Captain Wildstar with a smile while he covered his midriff with a towel.

"Oh, I won't," said Nova. "I remember that time you threw cold water on me to wake me up after that happened."

"Yeah...you were so mad..."

"You big silly boy. And be sure you shave and get that hair looking a little less like a mop that mated with a paintbrush."

"Excuse me?" said Derek. "I'm getting yakked at by a woman who needs a haircut."

"Ohhh, I'll go see Doctor Sane later," huffed Nova. "I _hate_ it when he cuts my hair."

"Why?"

"He never gets it right! One time he almost took my curls off!" said Nova as she fingered the locks that usually hung at her cheekbones.

"Guess what," said Derek with an impish grin.

"What, Skipper?"

"Your hair looks like a mop when you wake up too!"

Derek then ran out the hatch to avoid the slipper that Nova threw at him.

* * *

A bit later on that morning, after showers, breakfast, PT, and working on paperwork in their offices, Nova and Derek met again in the Central Planning Room a few minutes before the morning officers' briefing.

"_You_ need a haircut," said Nova quietly.

"Do I?" said Derek.

"When it hangs in your eyes too much, you need a haircut, too. I'll see Doctor Sane today to get mine cut if you see him too. Deal?"

"What's the reason for the change? Thought you hated the Doc to cut your hair."

"After PT, Natalie said I looked like a neglected sheepdog."

"Oh," said Derek. _OK, they listen to other women, but not us,_ he thought. _Fact Number 535 about females._

"Good morning, you two," said Mark as he showed up.

"Where's your better half?" said Nova.

"Yeah, the pretty one?" said Wildstar.

"Idiot!" said Mark as he playfully punched his Captain and friend in the shoulder. "Are you saying I'm ugly?"

"No, I'm saying that Holly looks prettier than you do. I wouldn't be insulted if you said Nova looked prettier than me, Mark."

Mark then grabbed Nova's hand. "You're pretty. He's ugly."

"Am not!" said Wildstar.

"May I have this dance, m'lady?" said Venture, who wouldn't let go of Nova's hand.

"Derek, should I waltz with him or put my boot in his instep?" asked Nova.

"Your call," said Derek. Nova's eyes lit up right before Sandor came in with a thoughtful expression on his face. Everyone suddenly turned more serious.

"What's up?" asked Derek.

"I've been up all night analyzing the results of the scans we took right before the Fortress disappeared."

"Steve," said Nova softly. "There is such a thing as sleep. You need at least seven hours of it a night on this ship to function. Please don't let me hear about you doing that again."

"Thanks," said Sandor, "But I needed to make sense of this. Wildstar, one of two things happened to that Fortress. It either was sucked into a naked singularity it created, or it executed a space warp. I'm 98 sure it went into a singularity and destroyed itself, but there is a 2 chance that thing survived, albeit with structural damage."

"How will you know for sure what happened?"

"More analysis is necessary. I have IQ-9 working the problem now."

"Good," said Nova. "_He_ doesn't need sleep."

IQ-9 came in a moment later. "I have finished calculating the results, Sandor. Have a look."

Sandor took a sheaf of papers from IQ-9. "We're now 99.8 sure he destroyed himself," he said a moment later. "The likelihood that Ekogaru survived that cataclysm is extremely remote."

"In other words, Ekogaru's threat to Earth is over?" said Derek.

"Yes. I'm now sure that Aliscea did her job."

"Thank God," said Nova.

Soon afterwards, the briefing began.

* * *

With the briefing over, Captain Wildstar was meeting with Hemsford and Rosstowski in his cabin.

"Do you two know why I ordered you to come up here?"

"No, sir," they said in unison.

Captain Wildstar looked both men up and down. "Well, both of you men need your records updated. And, I wanted to let you know why."

He handed both of them letters. Rosstowski opened his first. It was addressed to "Junior Lieutenant Paul J. Rosstowski."

"Sir, I'm an Ensign. You've made a..."

"No, I haven't," said Derek with a tight smile. "Read the letter. You're a Junior Lieutenant now. Same with you, Lieutenant Paul Hemsford. Both of you have done great jobs, and I think this is long overdue. Congratulations."

"Thank you, sir," said Rosstowski.

"Thanks, sir," said Hemsford. "Now, I feel like I'm the proper rank. Ensign just doesn't _sound_ right as a Space Marine rank."

"Yeah, I know," said Derek with a bit of a grin. "Tradition, right?"

Hemsford nodded.

"If I were you, I'd let your men know as soon as possible," said Captain Wildstar.

"Are we doing more drills?" said Rosstowski.

"We may in a day or two. It's more important that we get the ship repaired, first," said Captain Wildstar. "We've just won a great victory, and soon, we'll be doing some other things."

"Such as?" said Rosstowski.

"Such as helping many of the Pellians resettle here on Iscandar under Astrena's leadership. Queen Starsha's permitted it. And, also, we're going to scout the planet for a good location for a base. I've been in touch with the Commander, and he and Starsha agree that it might be a good idea for us to start a small base and scientific colony here on Iscandar in another one of the cities. If we can find a good location for such a base and colony, we'd start setting things up so that some Earth ships could bring some scientists out here to do long-term study here."

"What do the Gamilons think of this?" asked Hemsford. "After all, aren't they moving back in next door if Gamilon prove to really be livable again?"

"Well, Desslok asked Starsha to allow some of the Pellians to live here, so he has no objection to that idea," said Derek. "As for our base, it appears he's asked Starsha for permission to have a base of his own here on Iscandar. Alex told me that Starsha is still considering the request, but may turn it down, since he might be resettling Gamilon if it proves to be livable again."

The cabin door opened and Nova came in...with Desslok. Captain Wildstar noticed that the Gamilon had to duck to get through the hatchway.

Captain Wildstar was quite surprised at the Gamilon Leader's sudden presence. "Leader Desslok...I...I wasn't expecting you. Nova?"

"I'm sorry, Derek. He just came on board a few minutes ago. He said that he's giving us permission to send a survey team down to Gamilon with his survey team in a few days once the surface stabilizes so that we can, perhaps, learn about the technology of the Technomugar by observing how it remade Gamilon."

"I'm sorry to catch you by surprise like this," said Desslok. "I thought it was quite important to see you as soon as possible."

"Why is that...uh...with no advance warning?"

"I was speaking with your Commanding General Singleton via communicator. He's quite an interesting man..."

"And?"

"He said that due to certain factors..."

The communicator beeped. Captain Wildstar said, "Please excuse me, Leader Desslok. Yes, Homer?"

"Sir, the Commander's on the line. Shall I patch it to your cabin?"

Derek nodded. A moment later, Commanding General Singleton's image came up on one of the small screens. "Captain Wildstar."

"Yessir?"

Singleton looked around and then started a little. "Oh. I see he's arrived before my message. Could you please send those other men out? I need only you, Nova, and Leader Desslok present for this."

"Yessir," Derek replied. "Rosstowski, Hemsford...?"

"Of course," they said. They saluted and left, dogging the hatch behind them. Desslok began to leave, as well.

"Leader, he didn't say you should step out."

"I think you'd prefer to receive his instructions in private before we speak," said Desslok. "I'll be waiting outside."

"Of course," said Derek, who was a bit mystified as to what was going on. Nova also looked a bit puzzled. Desslok stepped out a moment later.

"Captain, I wish to emphasize that this is for your ears only, as well as Nova's. She has been authorized by the President to assist you in what I am about to tell you."

"Of course, sir," said Captain Wildstar. "May I ask what's going on?"

"Captain Wildstar, on the President's authority, relayed through me, you are to negotiate a draft understanding with the governments of Iscandar, Pellias, and the Gamilon Empire formalizing our wartime alliance with these powers. When you complete this protocol, relay it directly to me and I will see that the President receives it. We have agreed not to put this through the Defense Council because there has been opposition to such a move on the Council's part. The President is discharging the Council members responsible for this dissension, but, in order to make this stick, it will be promulgated as an Executive Order. You and Nova will be our negotiators. Both of you are young, but we know that you know Desslok, Starsha, and Astrena better than anyone else on Earth. That's why you're being empowered to negotiate with them."

"Sir, that's quite a responsibility," said Derek.

"I know, but I feel you can handle it."

"Sir...neither of us are diplomats," said Nova.

"It is very important that both of you secure the cooperation of these nations," said Singleton. "The Rikashan attacks on Earth shipping have been increasing. Even though Ekogaru is, as you have said, most likely dead, his followers continue to be a major threat. What's more, one of our scout ships has picked up transmissions in Cometine code near Sirius. We think that Cometine forces may be trying to reclaim that base, and we also think that Rikasha may be trying to either attack the same base or attack Procyon. We don't need either of those powers in our interstellar backyard. Also, with the Gamilon Empire rebuilding, I think it is vital that we secure our flank towards the Magellenic Clouds by making sure that Desslok remains friendly to us. I think we can best do so by making sure that all four of our races stand together against Rikasha...and, if need be, against the Cometines as a united front. I will transmit some basic instructions for the negotiations."

"Of course, sir," said Derek.

"That will be all," said the Commander. "Desslok has indicated an interest in setting up a first session with all of you within a few days. You can speak with him about the timing of this session."

"Yessir," said Derek. Both he and Nova saluted as the Commander's image faded out.

"Uh...you can come back in now," said Nova.

"Thank you," said Desslok. He ducked again at the hatchway.

"Leader, if you need a better place to speak to us," said Derek.

"That's all right," said Desslok in a calm voice. "I don't mind the exercise. Is this your office?"

"Yes, and our cabin," said Derek. "Nova and I share these quarters. These books over here were Captain Avatar's."

Desslok picked up one of the books. "I note he liked history. I believe this book is on your twenty-first century, as you call it?"

"Yes, it was our greatest time of change ever as a race," said Nova. "It began with terrorism, continued with a great regional war, carried on with a world war which became a great war of unification, and concluded with a world government and the first phases of the war with your people."

Desslok opened the book and hit on a page at random. He began to read out loud. "_The architect or ruler who began the Gamilon War is still, to this day, unknown to the people of Earth. While it was apparent that Earth's solar system was being scouted by an alien race, it remained unknown for some time that this race had hostile intentions; or so it remained until the new colony at Titan fell under attack in the year 2074..._"

Desslok closed his eyes a moment. "My great-grandsire Severus began the effort. He knew that Gamilon was doomed. He thought he had found Garuman at the site of Earth. The War was a great crusade for our people. The circle began with Leader Severus. It now ends with myself. As long as I live, Gamilon lives," he murmured. "It appears that my words are coming true today...look."

Desslok pointed; the planet Gamilon was rising in the sky. It had cooled substantially; it was now a greenish globe covered with impact craters with mottlings of blue here and there that might have been seas.

"Gamilon," said Desslok. "It's hard to believe what the Dark Lord has delivered back into my grasp, although I am sure it was not his intention to do so. We should both learn what the extent of his power is...or, rather, was. That's why I've invited you to join us as we survey Gamilon."

"How are the reports from your sensor satellites coming?" asked Captain Wildstar.

"Promising. The planet seems to be stabilizing, and there doesn't seem to be very much acid in the ecosystem. It seems to be raining heavily on Gamilon right now, but raining regular water, if you'd believe it. We are hoping that we can begin rebuilding Planet Gamilon at some point in the next few weeks. Gamilon reborn. I never thought I would see it."

Derek sat down in his chair and closed his eyes. "So, you're going to rebuild your Empire?"

"Eventually, although with a different end, this time. I hope to rebuild in order to ensure peace for the Pellians, the Iscandarians, and, at a great distance, your world. As I told you before, we would hate to see your Earth fall into enemy hands of any sort, whether it be the hands of the Rikashans or the Cometines. I'm glad that some on Earth are coming to realize that we can best face this onslaught together. "

"So am I, Desslok," said Derek.

The Gamilon stood in thought a moment longer. "Wildstar, permit me to assure you and Nova that you and the people of Earth shall remain our eternal friends. It is quite an irony; through you, Gamilon was destroyed, and, through you, Gamilon may be reborn. It is my dearest hope that we can live in peace with secure borders and a strong military on our reconstructed homeworld. Captain, I have invited you and the rest of the Star Force to assist me in the survey of the planet. Even though we are the greatest scientific power in the Cosmos, I think that we shall find your observations interesting and can both learn what our enemies are like from observing their power, and also, learn how to defeat them. In the meantime, I would like our negotiating sessions to begin ten days from now. Starsha has asked that these sessions take place in Mother Town, and Astrena and I have agreed. I assume this is also acceptable to you?"

Derek and Nova nodded. "Of course," said Derek.

"Thank you. Now, if you will pardon me, I shall be going. Don't worry about an escort; I was able to find my way here on my own. I hope to speak to both of you soon...hopefully, on the motherland of Gamilon."

Derek and Nova saluted, and then, Desslok left.

Captain Wildstar sat looking at the hatch for a long while. "Nova, why do I feel uneasy about this?"

"I think we can trust him," said Nova.

"But, what if we can't?" responded Derek. "What if he goes back to his old, arrogant ways again someday?"

"I think the treaty we're supposed to negotiate is to keep that from happening."

"But what if he, or some successor of his, abrogates the treaty, Nova?"

"Or what if we can't reach an agreement?"

At that, both of them fell into an uneasy silence. They really didn't have an answer for this.

* * *

**II. CHANGES**

**The Grand Technomugar Fortress**

**Lord Ekogaru's Audience Chamber**

**Friday, March 5, 2202**

**1315 Hours Spacetime**

* * *

"They think I'm dead," muttered Ekogaru. "They think I'm dead, but, things are different from what they think. I live. We live."

Yvona looked at Ekogaru. She lay in her bed, breathing hard. "How badly did they hurt me?"

"They had to replace many parts. You were, basically, torn apart. Were it not for the doctors..."

"I know. I would have died. Then, why is it so hard for me to breathe?"

"Because you are still adjusting to the new parts," said Ekogaru. "And, don't think I wasn't harmed, as well," he said as he slammed a metal fist on the table. "Do you see this hand? It is a replacement. Much of me needed to be replaced. Much of my Fortress requires repair."

"How bad is it?"

"We are 48,000 lightyears away from Iscandar right now. We can warp only 1,000 lightyears at a time now. It will take us at least eighty to a hundred days to get to Earth."

"Well, why aren't we on our way now?"

"Who says we aren't, Yvona? You just regained consciousness. You weren't awake when we last warped. But, we will take at least eighty days to get to Earth at the very least, maybe more, as I just said!"

"Why? I want my vengeance upon Aliscea. I want my vengeance upon the Star Force. I want...my vengeance upon my damned niece!"

"All in due time, Yvona. I have something in mind. It will take us forty days' worth of travel, but I am beginning to prepare a trap at a planet that Rikasha is conquering for us."

"The name of the planet?'

"Carufax, at the edge of the Milky Way, at the Eastern Rim of the Orion Arm. My Baron Cha'rif shall manipulate the _Argo_ there. There, in forty days, I shall teach the _Argo_ who is the Master...and who is the Slave."

At that, Ekogaru began to laugh like a madman.

Yvona just nodded, knowing that, imprisoned in her capsule, her clone, her sick trump card, was still struggling as the forced growth process continued.

* * *

**III. THE COMMANDER'S CHOICES**

**Planet Earth**

**The Presidential Palace**

**Tuesday, March 9, 2202**

**1100 Hours Spacetime**

* * *

"Commander, this is a very interesting report," said Earth Federation President James Mendellsohn in his office. "So, you suspect Senate Liaison General Weiner and Minister of Xenocultural Studies Doctor Piper Sandberg of treachery?"

"Sir, these are not unfounded charges," said Commanding General Singleton in a calm voice. "Over the past few days, these two men have been bringing ideas up in Council that I can only consider...outrageous."

"Yes, I know of their surrender motion," said Mendellsohn. "I saw them last Friday and told them that they had better have a deeper justification to request that we surrender than the justification that they gave."

"Thank you, sir."

"As for this report...you're certain that you found alien fibers in a place where they were meeting?"

"Yessir. I found some black fragments of cloth in the old Earth Defense Headquarters down below in the underground city. I had just found Weiner and Sandberg down there, having a meeting of some type. It looks like there were others there, too."

"Did you hear what was said?"

"No, sir."

"I can't arrest them on this basis alone, Commander. However, I _can_ suspend them from the Defense Council and have Military Intelligence's Special Services watch their every move. I'm sure that you're well aware of the capabilities of the SS."

"I am, sir," said Singleton, who was glad that Mendellsohn was putting a tail on these men. However, he felt a bit sorry for them. The Special Services of the EDF's Military Intelligence section could be quite...ruthless as well as tenacious. As a secret police, they were quite efficient at their job.

"Would you like me to call for Weiner and Sandberg today?" asked the President.

"I think it'd be a good idea."

"Then, I'll do it. And remember; this conversation doesn't leave this office, Commander."

"Of course, sir. And, sir..."

"Yes?"

"Thank you."

"You're welcome. Best of luck to you and the Defense Forces on fighting the Rikashan threat. It's a good thing that the Star Force has reported that the threat from Ekogaru is now virtually non-existent. I'm sure this should make the decisive battle with the Rikashans easier."

"Of course, sir."

* * *

"We're suspended from the Defense Council?" said Sandberg to the President in an incredulous voice later that day. He and Weiner had just been told the President's decision in his office.

"Yes, and I'm also pulling your Alpha-Gamma Security clearances until further notice, pending the results of any investigation," said President Mendellsohn.

"Why are you doing this, sir?" said Weiner. "How can I report to the Senate Armed Services Committee if I'm not on the Council?"

"It won't be necessary for you to report, as you are being suspended from your post altogether until further notice," said Mendellsohn. "Colonel Weishaupt will take over your post, effective immediately, until further notice. The same goes for you, Dr. Sandberg. You will turn over your reports and papers to Dr. Vanessa Hartmann, your deputy at the Federal University, effective at once. She will take your place on the Council. You two will remain on the Government payroll until any investigation is completed, and I am allowing you your freedom for the time being. However, there may be reason for you to be placed under house arrest in the next few days. I wanted you to be aware of that."

"Is there any appeal from this, sir?" asked Sandberg.

"None. My decision is final," said Mendellsohn. "I regret that I had to take this course. I hope that you can be cleared."

"What are the charges? What's the evidence?" fumed Weiner.

"I am not at liberty to discuss these at this time… and I'm sorry. But I would recommend that you hire an attorney. Good day, gentlemen."

Mendellsohn turned his chair around, signaling that the meeting was over.

* * *

Two days later, Sandberg sat in yet another office in the Megalopolis. He was trying to hire a lawyer.

"So, you're telling me that you and Weiner were railroaded out of the Defense Council?" said Karl Forrester of Forrester, Fisher, Smith and Pellman, PC.

"That's right," said Sandberg. "Can I have some of that whiskey, please?"

Karl cleared his throat. "Piper, I'm afraid I usually reserve that malt for family or very close friends. Yes, you and I were college classmates at the Defense Academy, even roommates for a year, but, I haven't seen you in a quite a few years. I think the last time was at my daughter's christening, wasn't it?"

"No, Karl," said Sandberg in a cold sweat. "It was...uhh...at her high school graduation; remember?"

"Oh, yes. That would have been over five…almost six years ago; Nova was eighteen then. Now, she's twenty-four. Time does fly," laughed Forrester. At that, Karl made certain that a picture of his daughter and Wildstar together was facing outwards as a subtle message. "You know, that if the President suspended you from the Defense Council, he had to have a good reason."

"He didn't. It's a personality conflict between myself and Singleton, Karl."

Karl exhaled a deep breath. "The President of the Federation has a lot of discretionary authority, Piper."

"So, you're saying you don't have the competence to be my lawyer?"

"Calm down," said Forrester. "You see those certificates behind me? I've argued cases before the Federation Supreme Court, Piper. I won _Langford v. Callandra_ on appeal, you know. And I don't work cheap, either. No, I have the competence. I don't wish to...how shall I put it," laughed Karl. "I don't wish to take up your case. You might do better with someone else. Someone who chases ambulances for a living."

"You know, Forrester, that's damn close to an insult?" snapped Sandberg as he abruptly stood up.

"Whoa; careful there," said Forrester, putting up his hands. "I didn't say a single thing about you. You just might want a different lawyer, that's all. Because it'll be a cold day in Hell before I represent you. Are we clear? And I didn't like you barging in past my secretary, either. It's a good thing I'm in a charitable mood today. Otherwise, I might just call the police?"

"I'll find someone else," hissed Sandberg. "You know, this is the end of our friendship? You're a damn walrus, your wife is an artsy-fartsy fool who plays with oil paints...and your daughter? She's a bimbo, Karl. Look up bimbo in the dictionary."

Karl gritted his teeth. He wanted to strike Sandberg for insulting his wife and daughter, but before he could react, the disgraced government official turned on his heel and headed for the door.

"Don't slam the door on the way out!" snapped Karl.

Sandberg slammed the door.

"They always slam it when they get mad," said Forrester in a sad voice. He picked up the portrait of Nova and Derek off his desk. "Kids...I think we've got a problem, here. Now, what should I do? I wonder if the Commander would remember me from the old days...or if I have his number...hmmm..." said Forrester as he began to look through a Rolodex on his desk.

* * *

"So, he tried to hire you?" said the Commander.

"That's right," said Karl Forrester. "It seems that Sandberg is trying to fight the President's decision."

"You didn't offer to work for him, of course?"

"No, I didn't."

"Good," said Singleton. "Did he indicate his plans?"

"No, he stalked out. He said he'd find someone else."

"I'll let the President know that he might be causing trouble. And, thanks, Karl. It's been a long time since we were Midshipmen together at the Space Fighters' Training School."

"I'm glad you remembered me, sir."

The Commander laughed. "How can I forget an Academy classmate? Take care."

* * *

**IV. GAMILON REBORN?**

**Planet Gamilon**

**Near the Former Site of Gamilstadt**

**Thursday, March 11, 2202**

**0900 Hours Spacetime**

* * *

"My sensors confirm it," said IQ-9 as he and Nova hovered in for a possible landing on Gamilon. The two of them were flying her recon Cosmo Tiger. "The surface is cool enough for us to walk on now. It's also stable."

"That's good to know," said Derek from his Super Starfighter nearby. "Hmm...there's quite a few Gamilons down there already," he said.

"Derek, they're giving us landing clearance at RX-11, on that plain not far from that sea over there."

"Okay," said Derek. Sandor was flying beside him as his other wingman. Alex Wildstar himself happened to be riding in Sandor's plane.

The scene around them liked both alien and familiar. The ground was rather rocky, harsh, and rugged for the most part. Everything looked green; even the sky had a greenish tint to it. The only thing that broke the relative greenness of the landscape was the startling blueness of the sea against the green rock.

"Much of the crust seems to be filled with copper oxides and crystal not unlike jade," said IQ-9 from his plane. "That explains why things are green all around."

"What about the sky?" asked Derek.

"A slightly different factor of refraction; that's all," said Nova. "The oxygen content is slightly higher than on Earth, and there's no poisonous gasses I can detect in my sensors. I think we can work with our helmets open. Just watch out for the slightly higher gravity; we might get tired a little more quickly than we would on Earth."

"I think I remember that from the last time we were here," chuckled Derek.

"Yes. But when we were last here, we weren't really taking a survey," said Nova in a very quiet voice.

"I know what she means," said Sandor. He looked down at the surface, and noticed, with disbelief, that some of the ruins of the old city were still here, although it looked as if they now were embedded deep in the ground.

"I wonder what those towers were made out of that they could withstand our attack and then the whole planet being melted around them," said Sandor.

"The Gamilons made some of their towers out of a type of volcanic rock that they further hardened," said Alex. "But, I never knew they were _that_ strong."

"Reminds me of Isengard," murmured Nova.

"Hmh?" said Derek.

"_Lord of the Rings_ reference," said Nova. "We haven't gotten to that part yet."

"You're reading it?" said Sandor.

"On some nights when I can't sleep, she's been reading it to me on and off," said Derek. "She says it's going to be a very long read."

"Enjoy it," said Alex with a grin. "It's a _long_ book, Derek."

"IQ-9," said Nova.

"Yes?"

"Sandor's going to upload some information from his plane to ours, and I'd like you to pick up the results of our scans from our computers. Do you think that you can have that ready to give to the Gamilons?"

"You underestimate me, Nova. I've already thought of it. I'm a true genius! I don't know about you."

"Can it, tinwit," muttered Nova in a dangerous voice. She exhaled a deep, annoyed breath.

"You sound tough, Nova."

"Oh? Any comments?" she said while glaring at him.

"No comment."

"Good," said Nova with a frosty smile. "Remember, we have work to do. No games today."

"I understand."

* * *

Finally, Wildstar began to bring his Super Star in for a landing. Nova and Sandor followed him in, using their planes' belly jets to slow down and land.

Derek opened his canopy and then popped open his helmet. The air smelled slightly metallic but clean; quite a switch from the eternal "rotten-egg" odor that had hung over Gamilon when the planet had been polluted by sulfur compounds and excessive volcanic activity. He was followed by the others a moment later.

Helmeyer was there to greet them. "So far, Captain, the results of our survey have proved to be promising. What have your people discovered?"

"They had their sensors going on the way in," said Derek. "They can give you a report now, if you like."

"What have you discovered?" asked Alex. "Queen Starsha is particularly interested. That's why I was sent here."

"We'll go off to discuss those results," said Helmeyer. Derek noticed not only a few planes and ships but also a few small prefabricated buildings near the site of the city. Alex, Nova, Sandor, and IQ-9 followed Helmeyer into one of those buildings. Derek remained outside for a moment, looking at the remains of Gamilstadt that jutted out of the rocky surface like broken teeth.

"If it _is_ truly livable, the capital will be rebuilt here," said a voice behind Captain Wildstar.

Derek turned and noticed Desslok standing behind him. Astrena was with him. She was now visibly pregnant and walked carefully over the uneven ground.

"How quickly do you think you can rebuild?" asked Derek.

"If the results of the survey prove to be favorable, I will have ships bringing resources from other base worlds of the Empire within a few weeks," said Desslok.

"I am hoping that I can use some of my powers to help him rebuild," said Astrena in a quiet voice. "Also, given my presence here as his Empress, we shall make certain that his new Empire does not repeat some of the mistakes of his old Empire. He tended to underestimate people. He tended to exploit people. He shouldn't make those mistakes again."

"As for Iscandar," said Desslok. "We have taken surveys there, too. The loss of Sanzarat has shifted the orbit of both planets slightly. Gamilon is now a little further from Iscandar than it used to be. With the gravitational balance changed somewhat, Iscandar should also prove to be more stable, as well. It's an odd chance, isn't it? Gamilon and Iscandar were both doomed. Now, it appears they are not...not any longer. Interesting, isn't it? It appears that a Providence beyond Ekogaru's ken seems to have taken his evil and hatred and turned it into something good instead."

"Many of my people like Iscandar, and Starsha has welcomed them," said Astrena. "With the presence of about two hundred of my people on Iscandar, and Starsha's children, and those who survived on those survey ships, such as Conor, once again, Iscandar will be populated. It is a thrill, being here to see the rebirth of two planets."

_I hope that you two aren't hoping for something that's impractical,_ thought Derek. _I hope that Gamilon can be rebuilt, and I hope that Iscandar can be rebuilt. I hope that nothing comes up that will keep either of you from realizing your dreams._

* * *

"Interesting," said Helmeyer as he and another scientist, a Major Frausky (one of the few Garumans that Desslok had found and brought back from the ruin of Garuman) looked over the results of the Gamilon surveys with Sandor, Nova, and IQ-9. They were also looking over the scans from the Earth planes that had been collated by IQ-9. "Your ships' scans would tend to support what we've found so far: Gamilon is now more stable and is developing an ecosystem suitable for intelligent life."

"Based on my scans, what looks like water over there in your small sea really is...water," said IQ-9. "Not sulfuric acid. The pH levels are normal."

"That's good," said Frausky. "We can't rebuild a civilization without ready water sources."

"It seems a bit cooler than Iscandar," said Nova, pointing at a line on a graph from a printout that had come from IQ's memory. "But, it looks like it would be within limits for ordinary life."

"Gamilon was always cooler than Iscandar," said Helmeyer.

"You have a very interesting robot," said Frausky. "Why did you program him to have a personality?"

"He was built to work with survey specialists," said Sandor. "But, over the years, he's gotten quite a few...quirks."

As Sandor spoke, a female Gamilon officer strode past IQ.

The robot couldn't resist. A moment later, his hand was up her uniform skirt.

And, a second later, the robot had a gun leveled at him.

"Idiot!" snapped the officer.

"Oh, no, Nova never did that!" cried IQ-9 as he ran to hide behind Nova. "Save me!"

"Why?" said Nova tartly. "If you're such a genius, get _yourself_ out of this predicament."

"Should I shoot it?" asked the officer.

"I'd try a warning shot, Ivlis," said Helmeyer.

"Does he do this often?" snapped Ivlis as she stared at Nova.

"I'm usually the one he follows around," said Nova. "IQ, you know you can't pick on the Gamilons. They won't tolerate that."

"I can see that," said IQ. Ivlis still had her gun leveled at him. Finally, she lowered it. "He lives, for now," she said.

"Why?" said IQ.

"Because, compared to us, you are really _stupid_," said Ivlis.

At that, the whole structure began to ring with laughter, from both the Terrans and the Gamilons and Garuman.

IQ-9 just stood there. He murmured, "Nova, why are they laughing?"

"You figure it out, genius," said Nova as she wiped tears of laughter out of her eyes.

"Maybe I'm not such a genius?" said IQ-9. "This does not compute."

* * *

**V. THE SURVEYS CONTINUE**

**Planet Gamilon**

**Scientific Base Camp**

**Sunday, March 13, 2202**

**0420 Hours Spacetime**

* * *

Captain Derek Wildstar woke up beside Nova in one of the temporary structures on Gamilon at the survey base camp a few days later. The previous night's work had been quite long, so Derek had told Venture via communicator that he and Nova would be spending a night on Gamilon.

"Hard to believe we're here on Gamilon," muttered Derek.

"How's the surveys going?" asked Nova.

Derek kissed her, then he got up and threw on a robe. The little temporary structure was like a small hut for them with its own head. Derek then looked out a view port. "Well, it looks like the Gamilons have brought more heavy construction equipment, and now...I see regular buildings beginning to go up in the night under those lights."

"Regular buildings?" said Nova. She got up and threw on her caftan. "Oh, where's my flip-flops?" she muttered as she felt around on the unfamiliar cold floor for her slippers.

Derek pushed them towards her and then Nova shoved her feet into them. She joined him beside the view port a moment later. "They _are_ building," she said.

A moment later, someone banged at the hatch outside. "We're just getting up!" yelled Derek. "Come back in half an hour!"

"I have important news for both of you!" piped up a familiar electronic voice.

"IQ-9, get OUT of here!" yelled Nova. "Wait until we're _decent_! Don't you know it's 0400? I'm rubbing sleep outta my eyes!"

"Your eyes are beautiful no matter what time of day it is, Nova..."

"IQ, she said, _beat it_!" snapped Derek. "That means _scram_!"

"Make like a tree and _leave_!" cried Nova.

"Guess you don't want to hear my news. Okay," said the robot as he left.

"Good, he's gone," said Derek. "Who gets the shower first?"

"Actually, why don't we share?" asked Nova in a soft voice.

"Good idea," said Derek.

* * *

Some time passed...about twenty-five minutes. Both of them were still in the shower together (where they hadn't been simply washing up; after all…well, they had only been married for about two and a half months). They were now washing each other's hair when another set of knocks came at the hatch.

Nova tensed.

"Hey, it must be IQ-9 again," said Derek. "Ignore him. He'll go away."

"Yeah, guess you're right," said Nova. "Get that lather out of my hair, would you?"

"You and your girly shampoo," he teased.

"Oh, shut up," giggled Nova.

The knocking came again. Sandor's voice yelled. "Are you two _alive _in there?"

"Is that Steve?" growled Derek.

"Sounds like it."

"We're in the shower!" yelled Derek.

The knocking came again.

"Damnit!" yelled Captain Wildstar. "Nova, I'm gonna..."

"No, let _me_ give them a piece of my mind," snapped Nova. She turned off the water, threw a towel around herself, and stalked to the door with a soaking wet body and hair, leaving wet footprints on the deck.

Nova threw open the door a crack. "Listen!" she snapped. "I'm in the _shower_, damnit, and the Captain is shaving! What the heck is so...?"

"I thought you were a commissioned diplomat," said a familiar dulcet voice.

Nova blinked and then realized she was screaming at Leader Desslok.

"I'm sorry, Desslok, but I'm in nothing but a towel, and my hair is still wet," muttered Nova, who was praying that Desslok wasn't seeing much of her soaking wet. "Could you _please_ come back in a few minutes?"

"Sandor, I thought the robot said they'd be ready," said Desslok. "My apologies," he said with a hasty bow. "I'll return at a time when it's more convenient. Kindly see if you could ready yourself as soon as possible, Nova. We have business to tend to."

"Of course."

"Who is it?" grumbled Derek.

"Guess," said Nova after she shut and locked the hatch. "We'd better hurry up. Leader Desslok wants us."

"Damnit...but this is his planet, I guess...okay...let's get ready..."

* * *

A while later, Nova and Derek came out to behold construction beginning on Gamilon. They were a little surprised at the buildings going up.

"I have good news to share," said Desslok. "We have completed our survey. Gamilon is again livable. As you may have noted, I have ordered the reconstruction to begin. Once again, my people have a home."

"That's wonderful, Desslok," said Captain Wildstar in a subdued tone of voice. "How large is the new city going to be?"

"Quite large, and quite beautiful, as well. It should take one or two of your years to construct. But, at last, the effort has begun. It appears that the one of the major objectives of my wanderings over the past few months is now completed. The other one is securing us against a war from our enemies. We shall begin discussing that tomorrow, Captain Wildstar."

"Thank you," said Derek.

"Leader Desslok," said Nova. "Congratulations on your success here."

"Thank you, Nova."

* * *

**VI. _VALKYRIE_ DEPARTS**

**Alpha Centauri System**

**Monday, March 14, 2202**

**0912 Hours Spacetime**

* * *

In the meantime, near Earth's solar system, a squadron of eleven Earth ships was approaching Alpha Centauri.

The squadron was led by the space battleship _Bolivia_, and consisted of two cruisers, six gunboats, and two Earth scientific vessels; the _Pioneer_ and the _Ranger_.

Lieutenant Denise Carroway's ship, the gunboat _Valkyrie_, was one of the escort ships in this squadron. On her ship, she was now sitting on her bridge, opening a set of sealed orders that had just been transmitted from the _Bolivia_. She read the orders and sat in shock.

"Eager," she said.

"Yes, ma'am?"

"Look at this..."

Christopher Eager, the _Valkyrie's_ pilot, sat looking at his skipper's orders, which read, in part:

_...you are ordered to see that the _Pioneer_ and _Ranger_ arrive safely at Iscandar to commence a special scientific mission. You are also ordered to help Captain Peronada of the _Bolivia_ in escorting these vessels to Iscandar. For diplomatic reasons, it is important that they arrive there safely... _

"Looks like we've got quite a mission ahead of us, huh, ma'am?" he said.

"Yes, it looks like we do," said Carroway. "And I mean to get there safely, no matter what. Especially since one of those scientists on the _Pioneer_ is a friend."

"Who?"

"Lieutenant Mio Hoshiyama."

On the _Pioneer,_ Mio was in the midst of writing to her boyfriend, Lieutenant Jefferson Hardy. Some of her letter read as follows:

_"...So, after a month's journey, I'll be on Iscandar. It'd be nice if I could see you there, but you said I probably wouldn't since you'd be leaving Iscandar in a few days. Maybe a rendezvous can be scheduled between your ship on the way out and mine on the way in? It would be nice to see you again; please pray that we can get together and this might happen. It would be so nice to see you again._

_Love, Mio..."_

Mio hit the "send" button on her computer and sent her e-mail to Hardy on the _Argo. _She smiled to herself, hoping she would hear from Hardy soon.

What she didn't know was that this was the last letter she would ever be sending him...or anyone else.

* * *

**VII. DISCUSSIONS ON ISCANDAR**

**Planet Iscandar**

**Friday, March 18, 2202**

**1238 Hours Spacetime**

* * *

"I don't think these discussions are going anywhere," said Desslok of Gamilon in an acid voice.

"You know that the problems have been between us," responded Starsha of Iscandar.

"Yes, because of your intransigence," said Desslok.

"No, because of yours," demanded Starsha.

"Please," said Nova as she stood up at her place at the negotiating table. "Leader Desslok, we're happy with the understanding that you've set up between your people and Earth. Why can't you give a little and settle with Starsha?"

"Our grievances go back too far to be simply wished away," said Desslok.

"There's much that Gamilon still has to answer for," said Starsha.

"And we need an understanding hammered out," said Captain Wildstar. "You are aware that we have to leave Iscandar in two days?"

"We are," said Desslok. "I think it would be best if you left with the negotiations between Iscandar and Gamilon incomplete..."

"What will happen, Desslok," said Astrena, "If Ekogaru is alive and he comes back at some point in the next few weeks and the two of your are still quarreling about how to protect your worlds?"

"Astrena," said Desslok. "There's only so far I can bend."

"You're not the only one who needs to bend a little," said Astrena. "Starsha, I think that you need to forget that you and Desslok were lovers who split up and remember that you and he are rulers. Rulers who need to unite to protect your worlds. Why can't you two forget your old quarrels and compromise?"

Desslok sat in silence. "Starsha, I can withdraw our demand for a full base on Iscandar if you like."

"And I can change my mind...and let you and Earth have a joint military presence here on a single base, at least until the independent Defense Force my Consort desires is built up."

"Good," said Astrena. "I think we can carry on negotiations from that point." Beside her, Aliscea smiled, and beside Starsha, Alex finally took a deep breath.

At that, the talks continued.

* * *

One day later, a Draft Understanding between Earth, Gamilon, Iscandar, and Pellias was signed. Earth and Gamilon would continue to join together for the war against the Rikashans and Cometine, and the war against Ekogaru if he somehow still lived. Iscandar would aid both peoples by allowing a base on the planet and allowing the bulk of the Pellians to live there. Starsha and Desslok were also setting aside their old differences. The Pellians would continue to offer whatever aid they could offer, and Aliscea would head for Earth on the _Argo_ with Paul Rosstowski to plead her mother's case on Earth...not that much convincing was needed.

Later that day, on Gamilon, Desslok held a farewell party for the Star Force at the site of his Capital. Some of those from Iscandar were also there. Starsha wasn't there, but Conor and Astra were.

They sat near the water with little Jonathan while Nova and Derek talked to them. Derek had on his uniform and peacoat, while Nova wore her pink dress.

"So, you're staying on Iscandar with Conor and Astra?" asked Derek.

Jonathan nodded. "They're kinda like my parents now. It'll be more fun to stay there and learn more about Iscandar for now."

Astra said, "We're arranging to adopt Jonathan…and trying for one of our own," she said as she winked at Conor, who blushed _very_ deeply at that. "Nova, are you and Derek going to…try for your own?"

"Not…uh…yet," said Nova who was blushing a little herself at that as she looked at Derek. "If we survive all of this, uh…I think we'll be trying soon…one of these days. Astra, I hope you, Conor and Jonathan will be happy. You know we're leaving tomorrow."

"I think you'll be back soon," said Astra. "Or we may come to Earth. Mother has been talking about making me the ambassador to Earth someday. Either way…"

"I think we'll all meet again soon," said Conor.

"I'm not so sure..." said Derek. "We still have to fight the Rikashans."

"Nonetheless, I think I'll see you before the end of the year," said Astra.

Not far away, Jonathan was pushing the water with his fingers. "So, this isn't acid?" he said.

"Of course not," said Nova. "I'll show you."

Nova kicked off her sandals and waded into the sea, shivering a little. "Cold, but do you see my feet dissolving?" she said. She splashed Jonathan a little with a kick, and both of them laughed.

_My God, it's just like that dream or prophecy that Aliscea described,_ thought Derek. _Maybe if that's going to come true, maybe the rest of her prophecies will come true...and we'll win, and beat the Rikashans I hope the one about Nova dying…doesn't come true, though. Please, Lord, not that…._

"Nova, if you and the boy are done playing in the water, I have a drink here you'd enjoy" said Desslok with a smile. "You know we'll meet again in a few weeks, but it will probably be in battle."

"Oh, sorry," said Nova. She stepped out of the water, found a rag, dried off, and put her shoes back on. "Derek, shall we go?"

"Yeah," said Derek. "We might as well enjoy ourselves before we leave."

* * *

A day later on March the 20th, after having said their farewells to Alex, Starsha, Astrena, Astra, Conor, and Jonathan, as well as to Desslok and the rest of their allies on Gamilon, the _Argo_ cruised up over Gamilon. The ship was suspended over both Gamilon and Iscandar, beginning to set course for the first of many space warps that would finally bring the Star Force back home to face the expected Rikashan invasion.

_So much has changed in the past few weeks,_ thought Captain Wildstar on the first bridge. _Now, Iscandar has many people on it again; other Earth people will be coming here, and, on Gamilon, Desslok is beginning to rebuild his civilization. Ekogaru is dead, so far as we know, but we will have to fight the Rikashans. I wonder what the war will be like?_

"Captain?" said Venture from his post.

"Venture, you know our course," said Derek. "Take us to STX-137. Then when we get there, let's warp; it's about time we were on our way back home."

"Roger."

And, at that, the _Argo _gathered speed and began to make its turn. At last, the Star Force was heading back home.

* * *

"So, you think that you're home free?" muttered Ekogaru as he watched the _Argo's_ departure from the twin planets of Gamilon and Iscandar. "No, you're far from it. We shall meet again soon...at the trap I have laid for you at Planet Carufax. There, there, my friends, we shall have our revenge."

* * *

**_TO BE CONTINUED WITH PART SIX: "Nightmares and Dreamscapes"_**

**_THERE ARE NOW 65 DAYS TO THE ARRIVAL OF EKOGARU IN EARTH'S SOLAR SYSTEM_**

* * *


	6. Chapter 6

* * *

**ALTERNATE TALES OF THE STAR FORCE**

**STAR BLAZERS****---****PASSICAGLIA AND FUGUE IN C MINOR**

**Being the eighth part of THE RIKASHA INCIDENT--- BY: Frederick P. Kopetz**

* * *

**ACT SIX--NIGHTMARES AND DREAMSCAPES**

* * *

**_Preface: From the Writings of the Dark Lord, written on parchment... _**

**_They call me mad..._**

**_They call me a lunatic. For what? For wanting to improve the lot of humanity? For wishing to drag Man out of the Primordial Slime?_**

**_Man, as I saw him, when I began my project ages ago, was a being that came naked and wet out of Mother like an animal. He suckled like an animal, rutted and reproduced like one, and died in the dust after three score and seventy like an animal. He even decomposes like some kind of animal if you leave him to smell bad and rot long enough._**

**_I wish to be man's benefactor, Man's Saviour. I give Man the sublimity of artificial cellular structure, neurons and ganglia that never grow senile, muscles that never grow flabby, eyes that never grow dim, and facial features that never age._**

**_I give unto them Eternal Life. And they shall never perish._**

**_All I demand as my Due is that they follow My Grand Scheme. All I demand is that all of us who join in this enterprise join in either forcing all to become one with me or wiping the Organic Slime who wish not to Evolve off the FACE of the Eternal Cosmos as a lost Project! Is that so Evil? I would do good, not Evil. I would create, not Destroy._**

**_But, oppose ye the force of Mine Will long enough, and ye shall see I can Destroy like none other._**

**_Yea, in the Words of The Terrans, these buckets of slime with ganglia and intestines and tear ducts and sweat glands that ooze repulsive salty ill-smelling slime and orifices that must eliminate poisonous chemicals and slimy waste every few hours...Yea, I AM become _****_Death, Destroyer of Worlds!_**

**_EKOGARU THE GREAT, BENEFACTOR OF MAN!_**

* * *

**I. DEVASTATION**

**The Vicinity of Planet Beemira**

**Monday, April 5, 2202**

**1032 Hours Spacetime**

* * *

"Nova, why is it that we're heading down to Beemira again?"

"To gather green plants, IQ-9."

"We just left Iscandar a few days ago. Why do we need more plants?"

"You don't remember when Baron Cha'rif attacked us again two days ago?" asked Nova in the cockpit of the modified Jet Recon Boat she was flying. "The Number One and Number Two refrigeration units were hit. We had to throw out a lot of food, and we're running low again. If we can avoid the Beemirans, I think we can get the edible plants we need and get out of here."

"Why do we need to avoid the Beemirans?"

"You compute it," huffed Nova. "The last time we were here, I sort of got tied up. So did you! Remember?"

IQ-9's lights flashed for a bit while he computed. "Yes. It would be wise to avoid the Beemirans if at all possible. Regardless of who is in power, they are likely to be hostile. They couldn't wait to see us leave the planet."

"Good. If we can land here in the jungle..."

Nova found a spot near one of the swamps, and she came in for a landing a moment later.

She and IQ-9 worked quietly for a while gathering green plants after climbing into a small cave to check an odor they had detected. In the cave, they found some plants that would be useful. When the cargo compartment of the boat was filled up, Nova reported in to Homer. "Would you tell Captain Wildstar that we've gathered up our first load? We'll be back on the ship to unload, and then we'll return to the planet later for a second load."

"Roger," said Homer.

Nova and IQ-9 flew back. They returned later that day, landing on another part of the planet to gather more edible plants. On the second trip, however, they found a somewhat disturbing discovery; the still form of a Beemiran underneath some large leaves. It so happened that IQ-9 found it. "Nova," he called.

"What?"

"Come here and look at this."

Nova and IQ-9 looked at the dead body lying on its stomach holding a sword. "I don't pick up any life signs," said IQ-9.

Nova turned over the body with a booted foot. "It looks like he's been dead for a few days. Do you think he died of that energy hit in his chest?"

IQ scanned the body. "I think so. It goes most of the way through him."

Derek called the party on Nova's headset. "Nova, IQ-9, come in. Are you two okay down there?"

"Yes we are, Derek. We were about to head back with the second load, but we just found a dead Beemiran. IQ-9 thinks he was killed with a beam weapon."

"Could he have been a casualty from the first time we were there?"

"No, it's too recent a death," said IQ-9. "His exoskeleton isn't faded due to weathering, and most of his internals are still intact. I estimate he's been dead about two or three days at the most."

"There may be hostiles on the planet, Nova. How far are you from the hive?"

"About a hundred klicks."

"Get back here with your second load. You're getting an escort for the third run, and I'd like you and your party to land within sight of the hive to see if the Beemirans are all right."

"Roger," said Nova. "We've gathered about fifty kilograms' worth of stuff this time, and we'll be back soon."

"Good. Be careful."

* * *

Nova and IQ-9 arrived safely back on the _Argo_ with their second load. About an hour later, they left again, with Nova now piloting a medical shuttle. They needed the extra room. She was now accompanied by two young officers from the Living Group. They were Ensign Donald Hammersmith, who was a botanist, and an Ensign Clarisse Lange, who was an entomologist. Four enlisted men and women from Living Group also accompanied them. Some Marines also accompanied them down in a second landing shuttle that flew alongside the Nova's medical boat. IQ-9, of course, began bothering Lange when they landed. He only stopped when the dark-haired young woman grabbed a tree branch and threatened to smack him with it.

"Ma'am, how do you put up with this _thing_?" demanded Lange as she glared in Nova's direction. Nova was bending down on one knee, looking at some plants.

"Fight him, Clarisse. He used to be fixated on me, once."

"I still am," said IQ. "Especially on that behind."

"Can it, tinwit!" snapped Nova. Then, she thought._ Oh, Lord God, what did I do that you've cursed me with this robot and his libido?_

"Ma'am, look at this tree over here," said Hammersmith. "It took a laser hit."

Nova ran over to the tree. She looked at the burn mark and whistled to Lieutenant Hemsford.

"Look at this. It looks recent," she said.

"Looks like at least a .50 caliber," said Hemsford. "It seems that there's some people around here packing some nasty shit."

Then, they heard a loud scream. A moment later, laser fire whizzed in towards the party.

"Hit the deck!" yelled Hemsford. Nova ducked down beside him behind a tree trunk. The ground was swampy, so some water kicked up when they took shelter. Luckily, their boots and uniforms kept the muddy water out.

The enemy fire blasted in again. Hemsford returned fire with his rifle, with Nova backing him up with her Astro-Automatic.

The enemy was visible a moment later. The group was a good-sized pack of humanoids in camouflage green battle armor.

An enemy trooper then said, in a flat, electronic-sounding voice, "In the name of the Lord Ekogaru, _give up_, you scum!"

"Technomugar?" whispered Hemsford.

Nova nodded once. The electronic voice came again. "We know where you are. We have you surrounded."

A moment later, some of the electronic voices yelled. There came loud howls, and the sound of hand-to-hand fighting.

Then, right in front of them, from out of the tropical growth, came a pair of beings locked in mortal combat. A Technomugar trooper who had been disarmed was attempting to kill a Beemiran with only his armored hands. The Beemiran was badly wounded, but he still had enough strength to stab at the trooper with his short sword.

Then, the Technomugar troop grabbed the sword, and decapitated the Beemiran with it. The Beemiran's corpse then collapsed into the water like a rag.

"My _God_," whispered Nova.

Hemsford said to Nova, "Stay under cover here, ma'am," and then he jumped out into the fray. He pulled his K-Bar combat knife and soon had it against the Technomugar trooper's relatively unarmored neck.

"Let 'im go!" said Hemsford. The trooper refused, so Hemsford stabbed the enemy trooper in the neck. A pinkish fluid that resembled blood poured out over Hemsford's hands and over the enemy's uniform.

"_Damn_ you, you organic piece of garbage," said the Technomugar trooper, who fell down a moment later. He was dying, but even in his death throes, he tried to strangle Hemsford. The Marine officer gasped, but he managed to extricate the enemy trooper's hands from his neck right before the armored soldier twitched and died.

Another Technomugar soldier spotted Nova. He ran up firing and howling. Nova dodged the bolts and returned fire, but her fire just skipped off the trooper's armored breastplate. The enemy trooper kicked her in the wrist, knocking her weapon out of her hand into the swamp. Nova backpedaled away from the trooper, who was laughing. "Good. Now, it's time for you to die, you organic scum. Too bad you'll never see Earth again, you half-witted woman!"

Nova found a fallen Beemiran and took a sword from out of his hand. With a high-pitched _kiai_ she swung and knocked the rifle out of the Technomugar trooper's hands. Then, the battle turned into hand-to-hand combat, with the trooper punching and kicking at Nova as she fended him off with the sword. Her helmet came off, and splashed into the water. Then, Nova fell as she avoided a blow from the trooper. Luckily, she was able to get up a moment later, fending off the trooper's blows with the flat of the sword.

Finally, he grabbed at her neck, hoping to grab her and just snap her neck like a twig. Nova responded by swinging at the trooper's neck with all she had. A moment later, the Technomugar trooper's head came off. Nova then leaned against a tree with one hand, holding her sword with the other as she caught her breath.

"Are you all right?" said IQ-9.

Nova nodded. "My party's still fighting. Let me go and help them, IQ."

Nearby, Clarisse killed another trooper with her astro-automatic, followed by Hammersmith.

"No. You look shaky. Rest there. Let me try to find your helmet."

Not far away, one Marine died, but the enemy trooper was killed by his squad mate.

Finally the jungle was again quiet, save for the cries of strange birds. The battle was over; with the squad of eight Technomugar troopers all dead.

Hammersmith ran up to Nova as she stood there panting. "Ma'am, are you all right?"

"I'm fine," she said through heavy breaths. "That guy almost finished me."

IQ-9 came up with Nova's helmet and then noticed that she still had her sword. "Nova, I'd better not tease you when you have a sword in your hand."

"Yeah, right," she said. She put her helmet back on, and swore softly as she found that the helmet's transceiver had gone dead. "Hemsford, can I have your radio?" she said. "I think we'd better call Derek for backup. There might be more of them around."

"Certainly, ma'am. Good job on that guy, by the way."

"Thanks," said Nova as she took Hemsford's walkie-talkie. A moment later, she was calling the _Argo_ for backup.

* * *

A while later, the other Marine landing craft arrived, carrying Captain Wildstar, Sandor, and more Space Marines. By then, Nova was busy taking care of a wounded Marine on a dry spot when Derek showed up.

"How's it going?"

"We took care of the squad we were facing, but IQ-9's detected more of them around, Derek. Did you see what happened to the Beemirans' hive?"

"Yeah. We flew over it, and it was burning. It doesn't look good. We saw lots of dead Beemirans all over the ground."

"Poor people," said Nova with a shake of her head. "It's worse than what the Gamilons did to them. But why? What sense does mass genocide make?"

A moment later, more laser fire raked the area. Derek shoved Nova under cover with a yelp, but a moment later, they had their weapons out and were returning fire.

From what they could see, it was more Technomugar soldiers. Some were on foot, while others had armored vehicles of some kind. The vehicles stopped, and the troopers began to pour out like rats.

A moment later, a flight of Cosmo Tigers roared overhead. One of the armored vehicles began to shoot at the Tigers, but the flight leader roared back for a bombing run. The three CT II's from the Black Tigers took care of the armored vehicles a moment later with six missiles, two from each plane.

The planes roared overhead again, and Captain Wildstar heard a familiar Liverpudlian voice in his headphones. "Hey, Bryan Hartcliffe here, sir. Feels good to be back outta the brig. Good job, that?"

"Yes, nice job, Ensign. Thank you, Mister. Now take your flight up off the deck a little and search for more of them. We're heading towards the hive and we don't need to meet any more resistance like that."

"M' pleasure, sir," said Hartcliffe. The Tigers waggled their wings in Wildstar's direction and then roared off.

"Hardy must have sent him," said Nova. "I think his squadron's on Combat Air Patrol right now."

"You're right," said Derek. "Another one of Hardy's flights escorted my landing boat in. Okay...let's start making our way towards that hive..."

In the meantime, the _Argo_ herself was under attack; two Technomugar space battleships and a number of smaller vessels were shooting at the ship.

Under Venture's command, Dash and Rosstowski were firing the main guns at the enemy battleships. The enemy returned fire, damaging the _Argo_ slightly, but the next barrage from the Earth ship finished the enemy space battleships off. The remainder of Hardy's squadron and Conroy's squadron were then called back to the area around the ship to attack the smaller vessels. The invasion of Beemira was broken when two troop carrier ships were blown to bits by the Black Tigers.

Finally, mission accomplished, Conroy's squadron returned to the ship while Hardy remained on patrol to deal with any stragglers.

* * *

The giant beehive and surrounding outbuildings were all on fire. The area was littered with dead Technomugar troops and dead Beemirans. The Beemirans had obviously gone down fighting; some of them still clasped swords in their dead hands, while others held the crossbow-like weapons characteristic to their race. Nova remembered that those weapons had been crude but deadly; she had seen Beemirans slain with that weapon, and had remembered when the Beemirans had held her prisoner with such a weapon against her head.

"IQ-9, are there any life signs around, other than ours?" asked Nova as she and Derek looked at the carnage. Both of them looked a bit ill.

"I'm picking up something, now," said IQ. "Over there."

The robot pointed, and Nova, Derek, and Hemsford ran over to find a Beemiran woman in a torn-up red dress lying on the ground.

"Their Queen," said Nova.

"Is she the same one who enslaved them to the Gamilons?" asked Derek.

Nova nodded. "Uh...Queen Melina," asked Nova. "Can you hear us?"

"Gamilons," she whispered. "Desslok finally sent you back. Too late."

"No," said Captain Wildstar. "We're not Gamilons. We're from a planet called Earth. I'm Captain Derek Wildstar of the _Argo_. The young woman is my wife, Nova Wildstar, who is our survey officer and also our ship's head nurse."

"Yes, the old man held you prisoner," said Melina. "I'm remembering the revolt now. Seems this battle accomplished...what he meant to do."

"What happened?" asked Derek.

"They came from above...everywhere; the planet was overrun by these people. The Technomugar. They demanded we surrender. I refused. Now, I can tell I'm the last one left alive of my race. I had a link to the rest of my people; but no one is now left alive. A new race could spring from me...but I don't think it can...not if I die."

"Hold on," said Nova as Melina grimaced. "We'll take you to our ship for treatment."

"Won't help...I'm dying," said Melina. "Goodbye, from...the last of my kind. Please destroy the hive...mostly destroyed already..."

And, at that, Queen Melina died.

"No Beemiran life signs are left," said IQ-9. "Now, they're all dead."

"The last of her race," said Derek as he took off his helmet and saluted. Beside him, Nova did the same. No one said anything about the tears that ran down her face as she did so. Somehow, tears seemed appropriate at this moment.

* * *

A while later, they were all on their way back to the _Argo_. A dead Technomugar had been picked up; the body would be autopsied aboard the ship later. Scans, luckily, verified that there were no more Technomugar left alive on the planet. As the troop carrier flew back to the ship, Nova leaned against Derek's pilot seat in the cockpit.

"I wish I knew why they did that, Derek. What did they want with this planet?"

"I don't know. They mentioned Ekogaru, didn't they?"

"Yes. They acted as if he's still alive. I hope he isn't...but, if he is..."

Captain Wildstar sighed. "If he is alive, it seems as if this would be one of his works. Did you gather enough plants?"

"Yes I did. At least the food problem's solved." Nova looked at her helmet. "This thing needs a new transceiver."

"I'll fix it for you later on," said Sandor from the co-pilot's seat. "When are you and Dr. Sane going to be examining that dead enemy trooper?"

"Probably as soon as we get back.

"That won't be long," said Captain Wildstar. Before loomed the bulk of the _Argo._Derek spoke into his microphone. "Lower bay; do we have landing clearance?"

"That's an affirmative," said a radar controller's voice.

At that, the troop shuttle landed.

* * *

**II. AUTOPSY**

**Sickbay**

**Space Battleship _Argo_**

**Monday, April 5, 2202**

**1412 Hours Spacetime**

* * *

The _Argo_ was now a thousand lightyears away from Beemira, having made a space warp just a while ago. But now, quite a few members of the Star Force, off duty, were standing around Sickbay's observation windows, watching intently as Doctor Sane, Nova, and IQ-9 prepared to work on a tall bluish-purple form partly covered by a sheet.

An oxygen mask dangled near the form, but it was not connected since the being lying there would never need oxygen again. The dead Technomugar trooper, stripped of his armor and underclothing, looked a bit like a very tall and massive Gamilon to casual observers; he had dark hair, strong features, and was quite well-muscled.

"Nova, pull back the sheet so we can begin," said Doctor Sane.

"Yes, Doctor," she replied. Nova carefully removed the sheet from the alien body; at the chest, the pattern of three wounds that had killed the creature now happened to be visible. Nova worked carefully, occasionally jotting down observations on a computer padd. She had more to write down when she had removed the sheet all the way, leaving the Technomugar trooper naked on the table.

A few rivulets of sweat ran down Nova's bare legs under the hot operating-room lights as she stood near the instrument tray, ready to hand Dr. Sane a retractor at his call. Since this was an autopsy, neither of them needed to wear masks over their mouth or shoe covers over their sandals; there was no risk whatsoever of infecting their "patient". However, they still wore the usual caps; getting hair into the field of dissection was still not a good idea, and, of course, they wore gloves. There was no further need for any other protective gear because IQ-9's initial analysis of the corpse didn't bring up any caustic or acidic substances inside the purplish-blue alien body.

"How's the cut going?" asked Nova.

"Mmmhh," said Sane, tapping his _geta_-clad foot against the laser knife operating pedal to make the laser "blade" hotter. "He's got a thick hide."

"Smells like burning plastic," said Nova as she wrinkled her nose. "Same with these tendons in here under the pectoral muscles. Are they plastic, too?"

"My analysis says they're carbon-fiber," said IQ-9 as he came up.

"How did this creature get made?' asked Nova. "Don't you think we should have had Sandor in here? How much of this being is mechanical?"

"I'm not sure, but we'll find out."

* * *

Vorston, the Rikashan prisoner who had been a long-time "guest" of the Star Force sat meditating in his cell when he suddenly stiffened. A wave of cold ran over his bare chest, and he mumbled, in Rikashan, "What is it you desire? Who are you?"

A deep, cold voice in his mind replied. "I am Ekogaru, your God of War. You are sworn to serve me, Vorston. One of your brothers is being disgracefully cut up in the autopsy room. Rise, and help him kill the human animals who are profaning his form. There are two, a man and a woman. I want both of their necks broken."

_I can't do that,_ thought Vorston. _This can't really be Lord Ekogaru. Isn't he honorable? Isn't he merciful?_

"Rise up," said the cold voice again. "RISE!"

After a long struggle, Vorston made his decision. "Lordship, I hear and obey Thee," he said.

A moment later, a Space Marine tapped at the hatch. "Hey, Rikashan!" he yelled. "This is your breakfast! Sorry I'm a little late, wanted it to get nice and cold, buddy!"

The hatch opened, and Vorston sprung out like a wildcat. In a moment, the Marine's neck was broken and the Rikashan had his Astro-Automatic. He pointed it at the other three guards and said, "Let me out of here! NOW!"

One guard thumbed a control at a console, and Vorston shot him through the midsection. Vorston snarled, "Want you to die, all you scum? NO! Get away from those, let me out!"

The marines moved, and, a moment later, Vorston used all of his strength to punch through a heavy steel hatch like paper. "I could have gotten out of here all along. Now there is something I must do. Apologize do I, but you will see why I must do what I must do. Fare thee well, Terranische!"

Vorston ran off as one Marine fired at him. Another one picked up a phone and called the First Bridge.

* * *

Aliscea sat up bolt upright from her meditations as soon as she had felt Ekogaru's astral presence. Goose pimples covered her body; she had been floating in the air in her sleepshirt in a lotus position when she had felt the presence.

"It's Sickbay," she murmured. She let herself drift to the deck, stretched out her legs, and ran out of the VIP quarters as fast as her legs would take her. Of course, she knew where Sickbay was. And, of course, she knew what was about to happen...

* * *

"It's cold in here all of a sudden," said Sane. "Nova, do you feel it?"

"I sure do," she replied. She felt frozen in only her Medical dress and underclothes. She looked at one of her bare legs; it was covered in goose pimples all the way down to her feet; and she felt as if her sandals had suddenly turned into blocks of ice strapped to her feet. "IQ, did you hit the temperature switch? It was warm in this compartment a minute ago!"

"No, Nova, I didn't touch anything."

"Thanks. Doctor Sane, what's going on?"

Doctor Sane spoke, surprised to see vapor coming out of his mouth just as it had from Nova's mouth when she spoke. "I don't know. Let's get this autopsy finished; then we can have some hot green tea, and..."

"Doctor, _look!_" cried Nova.

They were about to cut open the Technomugar's scalp to lay open his skull when the eyes suddenly opened. They glowed red with malice.

"Scum," hissed the Technomugar as he lifted his head. "You have disemboweled me, you stinking torturers! Get away from me!"

"We didn't know," said a horrified Sane. "We thought you were...dead," he said as he made a hand signal to Nova. She knew it meant "_get the Morpheus-X_". Morpheus-X, one of Earth's strongest anesthetic drugs, was kept in emergency syringes for such a purpose, in case regular anesthesia failed while a patient was on the table. Nova had never thought she'd need to use it during an autopsy, but she guessed there was a first time for everything.

Above, in the observation area, Dash and the others saw what was happened. "Damnit, we have to get in there to help them," he said. "Guys, follow me," yelled Dash as he drew his Astro-Automatic.

Both Hartcliffes, Raiden, Hemsford, and Homer all drew their weapons, determined as one to rescue Doctor Sane and Nova from this maniac.

Nova got the syringe while the Technomugar got up. Doctor Sane didn't see how he could stand up, let alone walk. Half of his internal organs had been removed, and others hung gruesomely out of his opened body cavity.

"Now, you listen," said Sane. "Get yourself back on that table and we'll see if we can help you! I didn't know you were still alive."

"You do now, you scumbag," said the Technomugar with a smile.

"Wait a minute, there's a lady present," cried Sane. "Watch that language!"

"Make me, you brainless pond scum," said the enemy trooper. He jumped for Doctor Sane, but Sane wheeled back. Taking off one of his shoes, he cried out and slammed the Technomugar in the head as hard as he could.

"Nova, get out of here!" cried Sane. "This is no place for you!"

"I can't leave you alone," Nova retorted.

"Prepare to die, scum," said the Technomugar as he grabbed Sane, who fought back fiercely with his _geta_ clog. The old man slammed the clog against the Technomugar's head, but nothing happened.

"You're dead, old man," mocked the enemy trooper. "After you die, I'll take out the blonde babydoll of your assistant." With a snarl, the guard tossed Doctor Sane away like a rag doll. Sane hit a console and his head began to bleed under his paper medical cap. He looked dazed and then fell unconscious to the deck.

Nova gasped slightly. She was armed with only her hypodermic, and the monster was coming for her.

"Ready to die and go to hell, you accursed female thing?" growled the enemy trooper. "YOU are beyond your station! You know your gender is good for only one thing!"

"No, I'm..._not_," responded Nova in a shaky but authoritative voice.

Klaxons began to go off, and there was some announcement in Derek's voice that the Rikashan prisoner Vorston had escaped. Nova paid it little mind as she watched IQ-9 putting himself between her and the living-dead Technomugar. "Nova, I'll protect you," he cried. "Run!"

Nova backed up, grabbing a scalpel with one hand while she reached up and back with a foot numb with cold. She kicked the hatch lock, and listened as the hatch slid open.

She prepared to back out of the hatch when the Technomugar howled with rage and threw IQ-9 out of the operating room. The robot flew out of the hatch, hit the deck in the corridor, and collapsed into three pieces.

The enraged Technomugar then kicked savagely at Nova. But, Nova lashed out like a mongoose fighting a snake with her left hand and sunk the hypodermic needle into the Technomugar's ankle. She slammed home the plunger and stepped back.

"You attack me with such puny weapons, moron?" snarled the Technomugar. "I will have you know that Ekogaru lives and he wants you DEAD!"

He came at Nova, who found herself trapped against the round wall of the passage outside a moment later. She held the scalpel, preparing to defend herself when the Technomugar flew in like a blur from her left and knocked her to the deck. She cried out as his foot kicked her in the left thigh like a football, cutting her with her own syringe as it flew out and scraped her thigh. The impact threw her down the corridor like a doll and would leave a nasty bruise on her leg when she hit.

As she flew through the air, the Technomugar ran towards his enemy to finish her off...only to be greeted with a heavy punch in the mouth from an unexpected source, namely, Vorston of Rikasha. Nova's mouth fell open as she noticed the Rikashan jumping into the fray, trying to defend her. A second later, when Nova landed, she saw and heard no more after her head slammed into the deck with a sickening crunch. Blood began to flow out one ear beneath her hair. Nova didn't know it, but she was now mortally wounded. Without assistance, she would die in about one hour...or become a vegetable.

In the meantime, the fight between Vorston and the Technomugar continued. "Why do you fight me? We are allies!" yelled the Technomugar in what sounded like archaic Rikashan.

"Allies? Never. Not you. Some demon pretending to be Ekogaru spoke to me. We cannot harm these people. They are decent. They have treated me well. I will defend them against monsters like you, you sickness."

"Ekogaru damn you, you stinking Rikashan heretic!" howled the Technomugar as they grappled. He moved a little more slowly now; Nova's anesthetic was beginning to take effect despite the cyborg's mechanical defenses. The cyborg also knew that his psionic link to the Dark Lord and the Grand Fortress had been cut. The accursed doctor and nurse had taken out his _D'ansheivalen_ link circuits while he had been in the stasis his wounded body had thrown him into while it healed or received new parts. The Technomugar felt that it was his duty to find his torturers and rip out their beating hearts even if he was cut off from the _gestalt_ that was the Technomugar race. He would mutilate them even as he had been mutilated.

While Vorston (who was grievously wounded when the Technomugar ripped one of his eyes out) and the Technomugar grappled like grotesque Titans in their blood, Aliscea of Pellias ran down the corridor, and nearly stumbled over Nova.

She knelt and cradled the limp form for a moment. _My God, her skull's fractured,_ thought Aliscea as she tenderly felt and probed Nova's body. _Her brain's beginning to swell, leg's bruised and cut, she'll never wake up from this unassisted. Well, I'm not letting the Reaper have you yet, dear. You've been like a sister to me, and you have much to do yet. We need you alive and working, hon. _

Aliscea began to glow a soft yellow as she reached out with her power, healing Nova's swelling brain, and also repairing the damage to her skull and meningial membranes. Then, she fixed the two broken ribs and even the wounds on her thigh.

A moment later, as Nova lay in Aliscea's arms, her eyelids fluttered open and she mumbled, "Momma, do I still have the chicken pox? Where's those Toll House cookies?"

"Nova, dear, I'm not your mom..."

"Aliscea!" she cried. "That battle. Got to get in there and help Doctor Sane! Head feels so...foggy...though...I..."

"Do not try to get up yet," ordered Aliscea in a stern voice. "What I did to save you will take a few minutes to fully take hold. Sit there with your head between your knees and rest. Your husband will be here for you in two minutes. You're a very brave young lady, taking on one of those with only that little knife. Stay there, I shall handle this!"

Aliscea kissed Nova and ran off.

In the meantime, Vorston and the Technomugar fought. They tore at each other with tremendous strength like gruesome prehistoric reptiles. Vorston was in great pain from his wounds, and he was bleeding like a river, but the stoicism bred into him by the fierce cruelty of Rikashan military training made him almost unstoppable. Even in his last moments, he continued to fight the cyborg warrior who was about a thousand years old now and had once been of his race, taken long ago in a raid.

Aliscea noticed the fighters and howled with rage as she leaped on the Technomugar's back. In a moment, like a Harpy from hell, she tore out one of the Technomugar's eyes and threw it across the deck. Then, she pushed Vorston out of the cyborg's foul embrace with a bare foot. She focused her power, began to gleam again, and then she began to tear off the Technomugar trooper's head, unmindful of her exposure as her sleepshirt hitched up, revealing her otherwise naked bottom.

Gore smeared against Aliscea's bare legs as she tore at the head. "Scum! Scum! _Scum!"_ yelled the Technomugar. "When I get my hands on you, you father-lover, so help me, I will..."

"You'll _what_?" snapped Aliscea.

She finally broke off the head, and, howling words in ancient Pellian, she caused fire to run down her arms and explode on the face of the still-living cyborg head. The Technomugar's mouth opened in a silent scream as Aliscea incinerated the head right in her hands. In her rage, she also didn't care about the pain she felt in her hands from the creature's metal skull.

Aliscea herself enjoyed immunity to fire, but hot metal could still burn her. Indeed, she focused her power so intensely that her holy, terrible fire literally began to soften the metal of the cyborg trooper's skull as she roasted the living human brain that lay inside the unholy metal carapace.

Aliscea screamed as the sprinkler system went off, dousing her flame and giving her an unexpected cold shower that caused her long hair to cling to her now-exposed body like a natural nightgown. She was still screaming when Dash and the others found her in the corridor, accompanied by Wildstar, Sandor, and Rosstowski.

"What happened?" said Captain Wildstar.

"Are you okay, Aliscea?" asked Paul Rosstowski.

The Pellian nodded. "I'm fine, if a little underdressed right now. Nova and your doctor tried to autopsy _this_ without reckoning on his stasis circuits." Aliscea cast the charred Technomugar head to the deck. Paul saw the burns on her hands and pushed aside Wildstar to get at his wife.

"God, what happened to your hands?" he said. "And you're naked! You can't let everyone see you like this!"

"The burns will heal, Paul, I'm working on those now. As for my clothes, they've just seen me naked, so what's the concern? Losing your clothes in a good fight is no sin if you live. I ended up like this because I threw on a sleepshirt when I felt HIM but then burned it off fighting that trooper."

"HIM?" asked Paul as he took off his shirt.

"I am referring to Ekogaru, Paul. Why are you doing that?" asked Aliscea.

"I'm gonna cover you up, damnit. And, again, who's "HIM?""

"Ekogaru, I said," snapped Aliscea as Paul dressed her in his Star Force shirt. She let him do it out of chivalry, because she knew it was a loving gesture on his part. "He lives and was trying to give that _thing_ aid and comfort, what do you think? But Sane and Nova cut his psi-link, but the Dark Lord didn't know that! He was also trying to corrupt the Rikashan who broke prison to fight for us. I wish I could help him, but I cannot...not at this time. It is because I used and drained my inner power to heal Nova and kill that creature. As for the rest of you, when you fight those, the only way to kill them is to hit them in the head, cut off the artificial blood supply to their head, or decapitate them! Their bodies can go into stasis and recover, but if you get their brains, they become as dead as rocks in seconds."

"Aliscea, are you all right?" asked a soft voice as Derek suddenly noticed Nova coming up the corridor. She, too, was soaking wet, and she had her arms over her bosom since her clothes were plastered to her body like a wet T-shirt and could be seen through, leaving Nova's body quite visible.

"Listen, _you!_" snapped Aliscea. "Sit that tush down on the deck and be quiet! You're still healing, Nova! You'll be as right as rain in ten minutes and able to go do gymnastics or run up on the First Bridge and lead cheers with pom-poms or whatever sort of tribal rituals you Terrans do! For now, assistant shaman, sit down and cool it!"

"Assistant shaman?" asked Nova, puzzled. A minute later, Derek was cuddling her in his arms.

"The lady told you to be quiet," said Derek in a husky voice. "I see blood on your ear. What the hell happened to you?"

"She was too damn brave, as usual," said Dr. Sane as he staggered out of Sickbay.

"Well, what about you?" snapped Nova. "Trying to fight him off with your shoe, Doctor, really!"

"Fighting is no job for a lady," snapped Sane. "There you were with that needle. And now you look like a refugee from a wet T-shirt contest on Spring Break or something! I can see you through that! Don't you have any shame, Nova?"

"I can't help it! The sprinkler system went off," said Nova while Sane (wearing only one shoe) ran in and got a lab coat.

"Wrap her in this, Wildstar. She'll catch her death from cold! Why is this place so cold?"

Derek did so while Nova whispered quickly in his ear, letting him know about how Aliscea had saved her and how Vorston had also tried to come to her aid before her head slammed into the deck. Derek nodded as Aliscea came up. "Aliscea, why is it so cold?" he asked.

"The influence of Ekogaru," said Aliscea. "He lives, in case you haven't noticed, and his malice powered this scene."

Then, Sane heard a moan. He and Nova ran together to Vorston's side.

"Looks like I am going now to your Valhalla," said Vorston.

"Don't talk," said Sane. "It'll make it hurt worse."

Derek knelt in the blood beside Vorston as the dying Rikashan grabbed his hands. The Rikashan's gore-soaked hands were trembling. "Decent you have been to me, Wildstar. I am sorry; my command of your language is quite poor. You and your men and women. I have a wife and child on Rikasha. Let them know how I died."

"You were defending us," said Derek. "You should have let us know you wanted to join our cause. I would have let you out of that brig and let you join us as a fellow soldier, not a prisoner."

"I have joined you," said Vorston as he saw how Nova was holding his hand as tears ran down her cheeks into her wet hair. "Your wife's tears and my blood have sealed my acceptance into your people. I pray I go to your Valhalla. I don't wish to go to Ekogaru's. Not now. My god of war has become more evil. Tell me about your gods."

"We worship many Gods, all of us," said Nova. "But mine, well, He...He's merciful."

"Let Him know I'm coming. Would you? Now, I go. Fare..."

And, at that, Vorston breathed his last. He went limp with his eyes open, finally liberated from the pain of this life.

Nova's sobs filled the air a moment later as she held the bloody corpse and cried into his hair. She wasn't the only one wetting the body with her tears; Derek managed a shaky Star Force salute as his tears also wet the Rikashan's face as he lay sprawled like a child in the couple's laps.

Captain Wildstar tenderly closed Vorston's eyes and then laid his head back. "Rest well," he whispered over Nova's sobs. "You died as a member of the Star Force, and you'll be buried in space as one of us. Farewell, Vorston of Rikasha."

* * *

**III. THE _PIONEER_**

**The Milky Way Galaxy**

**Deep Space, Not Far From Procyon**

**Monday, April 5, 2202**

**1648 Hours Spacetime**

* * *

Mio Hoshiyama stood over an instrument panel on the Earth exploration vessel _Pioneer_, looking at some instruments at her bridge station.

"What are you finding, Lieutenant?" asked Commander Harold Moline, the ship's Deputy Captain.

"Life signs," said Hoshiyama. "Good thing we're stopped. There's a welter of life signs around Procyon."

"And they picked up signals, too," said Moline. "That's why the flagship went in with some cruisers to investigate."

"Think he did the right thing?"

"Yeah, I'm sure he did, Mio. We're still covered. We have our screen...a good number of cruisers, and those gunboats."

"I don't know," mused Mio. "It doesn't feel right. My boyfriend told me once that his commanding officer said that you have to listen to any feeling you might get out here in deep space. He said a mistake can kill you very quickly."

"Who's your boyfriend again?"

"Jefferson Hardy, on the _Argo_," said Hoshiyama with a smile. "I just sent him an e-mail some time ago. Hope he sends me back an answer soon."

* * *

On the _Argo_, Todd and Becky Voorhees were at attention together in the Captain's quarters quite a while after the gruesome fight that had made its way through the Scuttlebutt Express already. They were a bit relieved that things didn't seem as bad as they had thought; Nova was clad in her regular gold and black uniform again, and was dry, presentable, and doing some quiet paperwork at her desk behind Captain Wildstar as Derek appraised the Voorhees couple.

"So, why did both of your request mast?" he asked. "Is anything wrong?"

"Well, yes and no," said Todd. "Uhhm...would you like to tell him, Becky?"

Becky sighed. "Guess I will. Captain, sir, if it's within your power, we need a transfer off the _Argo_ when we finally arrive home, hopefully in a month or so."

"Why's that?" said Derek.

"Sir...uhh...well..." stammered Becky. "Through no fault of my own, since...uh...I have been protected as per regulations for this couples experiment...uhhmm...I just found out that I'm pregnant."

Derek's mouth fell open. "Oh? I mean...well...I guess I can't blame you for that. You said you were obeying regs on the topic...uh...Nova...?"

"Yes?"

"Can that happen...I mean...if you're...uhh..."

"Occassionally," said Nova with a blush. "The meds are supposed to be about 99.5 effective. Now and then, though, you have a case where...a dose doesn't work. Then, you find yourself in your predicament, if you can call it that. Well, the regs are clear on that. The mother-to-be has to take shore duty by her seventh month, unless she can't do so otherwise."

"So, our request?" asked Todd.

"I think I can grant it," said Captain Wildstar. "Of course, you guys can't go home right now, nor can you go aboard a ship heading out even further, like the _Bolivia_, which we're supposed to be meeting in three days. But, I can ask the Commander if a replacement can come from the task force; at least he can fit in a bit until you two pipe off the ship when we get home. Let me speak to the Commander and I'll let you know."

"Yessir," they said together. Todd and Becky left. Nova was smiling a little after they left.

"That must be a nice predicament to be in, Derek." she said softly.

"What?"

"Expecting."

"You've been talking about this quite a bit lately, Nova. Can I ask why?"

"No reason," she said with a little smile. "When we have peace, though..."

"Yeah, know what you mean," replied Derek with a sigh. "I know what you mean."

And, on that note, they just held hands and looked out at the stars for a while together.

It was a relief to simply do that after the morning they had both experienced...

* * *

In the meantime, Captain Jorge Peronada of the _Bolivia_ was approaching Procyon VI, the world where, he had been told, the Comet Empire had recently had a base.

"I've got life signs, sir," said Lieutenant Hiroshi Yamaguchi, his Living Group Leader and Survey and Analysis officer.

"Yes, Mister Yamaguchi?"

"They're Cometine, sir. That base is still manned! And I'm picking up radar contacts, sir. Eight ships at QV-234, range,. Eight megameters, speed, twenty-two megameters. Switching to video panel."

"Cometine cruisers," said Lieutenant Commander Tyrone Westlake, his Combat Group Leader and Deputy Captain. "The Gamilons were wrong; the base is still manned!"

"Open our guns," said Captain Peronada. "Target, the Cometine squadron."

"Aye, aye, sir," said Westlake. "Petersen! Open turrets one and two!"

"Yessir," said Lieutenant Julie Petersen, his Artillery officer. She pushed her dark mid-back length hair out of her eyes and said, "Open turrets one and two. Range, seven point ninety-two, speed, twenty-two. Angle of fire, forty degrees!"

The _Bolivia__'s_ guns locked on the Cometine squadron, followed by the guns of her escorts.

A moment later, the Cometines fired, hitting one of the task force's gunboats.

The _Bolivia_, her escort cruiser, and four gunboats responded with their own barrage, which struck three of the Cometine ships and blew them apart just as the enemy task force fired a second time. Their second barrage blew up one Earth gunboat, and lightly damaged the _Bolivia_ and her escorting patrol cruiser.

"Sir," said Lieutenant Walsh, the _Bolivia__'s _communications officer. "The _Valkyrie's_ calling in."

"What's the message?"

"Captain Carroway's reporting the approach of a Technomugar fleet; and she says they've destroyed the patrol cruiser _Lehigh_ and have also opened fire on the _Pioneer_."

"Tell her to hold the line here until we can get there; we're a little _busy_ at the moment."

* * *

"Hold the line, huh?" said Carroway. "Just the _Vampyr_ and us and the two survey ships, and we've got to hold the line, huh, Eager?"

"So what do we do?"

"You're Star Force, Eager. What would Avatar and Wildstar do?"

"Kick some butt?"

"Right, good boy," said Carroway as she patted his head. "Let's get to it."

"Okay, y'all, we're gonna kick some _butt!_" yelled Eager.

"Full speed, Mister Eager."

"Right!"

The _Valkyrie_ and _Vampyr _roared towards the Technomugar fleet with guns blazing in a move that shocked the fleet's commander. "What the hell?" she muttered. Then, Yvona Josiah slammed her fist hard against the command chair of her ship. "You're an accursed _kamikaze_, you"

"Get them, Tolgarth!" she yelled to her executive officer.

"Lady Josiah, I can't! They're under our guns!"

Yvona got up and grabbed Tolgarth by his shirt. The Technomugar officer's white uniform contrasted sharply with the EDF peacoat that Yvona was wearing...a peacoat stolen from her late husband. "You failed us at Beemira by running before the _Argo_ showed up and leaving the garrison behind! I wanted my revenge upon the Star Force, and you ruined it! Likewise, it looks as if you will fail here! _Get them!"_

"Let's board one of the scientific vessels, Lady. The one they call the _Pioneer_."

As Yvona's flagship, the _Sabga,_ took hit after hit from the _Valkyrie_ and the _Vampyr,_ Yvona nodded. "Ready the party. I could use some hostages. Then, open up a signal to their flagship. In the meantime, dispatch the second task group to Procyon VI. Have them destroy the Earth Fleet and then burn the Cometine base clean of all life."

"Yes ma'am!"

* * *

"Captain!" said Walsh on the _Bolivia_ "The Captain of the _Yangtze_ is relaying a message from the Cometine Base Commander to us."

"Good pickup on our patrol cruiser's part," said Peronada. "Have him relay the message to us."

"Yessir."

A moment later, a green Cometine face appeared on the screen. "So. You are Earthlings. You're biting off a bit more than you can chew, you know. I am General Devat. I was one of Zordar's finest, and I am sworn to aid Gernitz when he returns to finish enslaving your foolish, stinking world. What is your name, Earthling?"

"General Devat, I am Captain Jorge Peronada of the Earth Federation Space Battleship _Bolivia_. We are here because your presence is a threat to Earth's survival. I will be forced to attack your base if you refuse to withdraw."

"Forced to attack?" sneered Devat. "Your ships _are_ attacking, already! You've brought down my first cruiser squadron, and you people are now attacking my base positions."

"Are we?" said Peronada.

"Sir!" said Yamaguchi. "Radar contacts! Ten battleships and eight cruisers at RX-225 off the starboard bow, range, nine megameters, speed thirty space knots! They're attacking the whole fleet!"

Soon, fire raked both the Earth Fleet _and_ the Cometine base as the _Bolivia_shook and the lights dimmed. On his ship, Captain Peronada saw the lights dimming in General Devat's command bunker on Procyon.

"That's not us!" yelled Peronada. "Whoever it is, they're attacking us, too, Devat!"

"Very well, it seems we both need to survive in order to carry on our argument," said Devat. "Would you like a temporary truce, just between us? I can send you Scorpions to provide cover, and battleships to help you out."

"Why would you do that?"

"This is between _us._ I don't like it when the Technomugar interrupt our battles, and those machines are also a threat to _our_ survival and imperial ambitions. Shall we say, uhh...blood is thicker than water against cyborgs?"

"Devat, if you're telling the truth, thank you. But if this is some trick..."

"No trick, Peronada. I give you my word of honor!"

"Good," said Peronada as his ship took and returned heavy fire from the Technomugar Fleet. "If you're sending help..."

"I shall get right on it, as you inferiors say," said Devat with a smile. "The truce begins now. Good luck, Captain."

* * *

The _Pioneer_ was boarded a moment later when a capsule rammed through the hull. Shot after shot rang out a moment later in the smoke and dust as two squads of Techomugar raiders poured in like ants, killing as they went. The crew of the _Pioneer_ took defensive positions and killed a few of them, but more Earth survey crewmen died than Technomugar.

"Defensive positions, bridge crew!" yelled the _Pioneer's _skipper, a man named Captain Valery Podsednek. "Hoshiyama, Moline, you two get behind your panels and fire first!"

"Got it!" cried Mio. The bridge hatch exploded inwards a moment later, and she opened fire first as the Technomugar poured in.

"Set on stun!" roared the Technomugar sergeant in his own language. "We want this lot alive!" The beams turned from blue to green, and the enemy sergeant then yelled, in Terran Standard, "Are you scum ready to be captured?"

"LIKE HELL!" cried Mio as she pumped shot after shot like a madwoman along with Moline, Podsednek, and the rest of the bridge crew. Some fire from a hit console burned Hoshiyama's blue EDF uniform, but Mio just beat out her own flames and then kept on firing, ignoring the fact that the spit shine on her boots was being ruined by her shifting position so much behind her console.

The older Podsednek was the first one hit. He fell with a scream and was dragged off the bridge by two Technomugar. Then, Reeder was hit, followed by Schmidt, Tashkent, and Comard. Finally, only Moline and Hoshiyama were left.

Moline yelled with rage as the brave but hopeless defense of Hoshiyama ended when her astro-automatic's battery pack went dead. Then, Mio threw down her gun and tried to slam one of the Technomugar with a piece of metal before a bolt hit her. Then, she was brutally dragged off by the Technomugar like a sack.

_Well, guess I'll go down fighting, too,_ thought Moline. A moment later, his gun went dead, and he was hit a second later. Everything went black, and he saw and heard no more.

* * *

The Technomugar boarding pod and its load of prisoners flew back to the _Sabga._ A moment later, Yvona's smoking flagship blew the _Pioneer_ apart with a single barrage from her guns.

There were still twenty-one enemy ships left in the area, though. The _Vampyr_ finally kamikazed into one of the battleships, taking it out along with two others.

"Call up the other ship," said Yvona. "It's about time I let them know we have prisoners and that we want their surrender."

"Of course."

"Communication from the enemy!" yelled the comm officer on Carroway's ship.

"Patch them thorough."

A moment later, Yvona Josiah appeared on the screen on the console between Eager and Carroway with a smirk.

"Hello, there," said Yvona. "And what would your name be, you little pants-wearing trollop? You remind me a bit of my rotten little niece, whom I hate with a passion."

"I am Lieutenant Denise Carroway, the Captain of the _Valkyrie._ And who would you be? You look like an Earth person. And why are you wearing one of our peacoats?"

"I am Lady Yvona Josiah of the Grand Technomugar Empire, granted eternal life as a cyborg by Ekogaru the Great, Carroway. Do you want to plead for the lives of these prisoners?"

"Prisoners?" said Carroway.

"Drag them in," said Yvona pleasantly. A moment later, two Technomugar troopers dragged Mio Hoshiyama and Captain Podsednek in like a pair of sacks. They were still unconscious, with Mio bleeding from a head wound she had taken while unconscious...

"You recognize them?" said Yvona pleasantly as Denise gritted her teeth.

"Yes. The woman. She was a good woman. What do we do to get her back?"

"Disable your weapons, surrender, and maybe I'll parole you and her and let you take her home. Or maybe not. It depends upon my mood."

"They said you were crazy," hissed Carroway. "My God, they were right."

"God? Ekogaru is my God. He'll be yours, too, you little tramp. And am I speaking to Christopher Eager, formerly of the space battleship _Argo_?"

"You are," hissed Eager. "What'ja want? She always said you were nuts."

"Who?" said Yvona.

"You know who. A lady who'll be more of a lady than you'll ever be, Yvona!"

"That's _Lady Josiah_, you hick," hissed Yvona. "Oh, yes. When you see _Mrs. Wildstar_ again, tell her to just strip and wait for me in the nude? It'll save us the trouble of undressing her when we take _her _captive for experimentation, along with you two."

"Like hell you will," said Carroway in a flat voice. "And this has gone far enough. Goodbye, your Ladyship."

Carroway ordered the signal to be cut with a hand gesture. "What an inhuman little creep. But, we'll deal with her. You note how the _Vampyr_ just went kamikaze, Eager?"

"Yes, ma'am?"

"Well, guess it's _our_ turn next," said Carroway with a grim voice as her smoking gunboat evaded shot after shot from the fleet. "Eager, aim us for that flagship; I want to take _her_ into the next life _with_ us."

"Yes, ma'am. Out of missiles, aren't we?"

"Yeah. And the forward turret is out," said Carroway. Denise then smiled and flipped on her mike. "Well, ladies and gentlemen, we're about to stand between our homes and the war's desolation and make the big sacrifice. I just want you to know that you were a great crew, and we'll be hitting the flagship in about thirty seconds. Mister Eager, full power."

"Aye, ma'am," he said. _Well, guess I'll never get to marry mah girlfriend Lisa, _he thought. _Honey, ah hope you don't cry too much when you get the news...here we go.._

Eager put his hand on the throttle and threw the _Valkyrie_ into her final charge.

Then, as three laser bolts flew about the ship and he was ready to feel the collision, the enemy fleet gleamed, wavered, and faded away. The ship the _Valkyrie_ was to ram was gone a moment later as the Earth gunboat flew pristinely alone through space.

"They're gone," muttered Carroway.

"Musta warped out," said Eager. He slowed down and said, "Now, what do we do?"

"Search for that flagship. They took some of our people, and..."

"We're being ordered to rejoin the Task Group at Procyon, ma'am!" yelled the _Valkyrie's_ communications officer. "What should we do?"

Carroway thought hard. "We're more likely to capture that flagship with twelve ships than with one. Eager, take us back to Procyon VI. We're rejoining the Fleet."

"Yes, ma'am."

* * *

"Captain Delgadar!" yelled Yvona's voice aboard the second Technomugar squadron flagship, the _Kervat_.

"Yes, Lady Josiah!" snapped the Technomugar officer.

"What do they have, Delgadar?"

"One Earth battleship, one Terran cruiser, three Earthling gunboats, and six Cometine antimatter missile ships, two battleships, and six cruisers. Twenty-four ships in all. The Earthers and the damned Cometines seem to have some kind of agreement. They seem to have joined..."

The _Kervat_ shook as a squadron of Cometine Scorpions from the base came in on one side and a squadron of Terran Cosmo Tigers from the _Bolivia_ came in on the other side.

"Delgadar!" snapped Yvona as the transmission faded out on her end and then came back up.

"Sorry, Lady. We've taken some damage, and we've lost two ships. Both sides have sent planes at us. _Scum!_ They're coordinating their feeble resistance!"

A moment later, the _Bolivia_ fired her guns along with the nearby Cometine battleships, and the antimatter missile ships. The fire skipped into the Technomugar fleet, blowing up four more ships. A moment later, the Cometine antimatter missiles took out two more battleships.

"Now, we'll start the _real_ fun," said Devat in his base. "Major Bermar! Send a message to the Earth ships and our own...ask them to clear a corridor at RT-224. Then, ready our new weapon...our stationary base Magna-Flame Gun."

"Yessir!"

* * *

"Move aside?" mused Peronada on the _Bolivia_. "Looks like they're moving, too. Wonder what they've got down there?"

"Looks like we're about to find out." said Westlake. He got up and wiped his handsome chocolate-colored face. "I don't know if I trust these suckers, sir."

"Mister Westlake, let's observe. If we assault this base later on..."

"Of course..."

"Sir, the corridor is clear," said Bermar.

Devat smirked and pulled a special handgrip up from his desk on a coiled wire. "Base Magna-Flame Gun, _open fire!_ Our target is the Technomugar Fleet!"

A moment later, the stationary rectangular gun barrel, which looked a bit like that of a Gamilon Reflex Gun, fired an orange burst of energy. Two fields of warp distortion appeared at each side, and the lance of energy vanished.

A second later, the lance reappeared in the middle of the Technomugar Fleet, blowing it apart with one blast. Devat fired a second burst, just to make sure, but the Fleet was gone a moment later.

"_Holy crap_, sir!" said Westlake. "They've got a Magna-Flame Gun down here on that base! What the hell else do they have down there? And why'd they let us see that?

"A warning," said Peronada. "They must've _wanted_ us to see that. Very effective game of brinkmanship on that General Devat's part. But that just told me that a frontal assault on that base would be suicide. If we want to hit that base, we'll have to send a landing party down there, first..."

"Sir! Devat's calling back!"

"Good, Walsh. Put him up on video."

The Cometine General's face appeared again. He looked amused.

"Did you like that, Earthling?"

"Not bad, General. Do you mean to let us escape?"

"Maybe I shouldn't," mused Devat. "But, no. Shooting someone in the back is no fun. You have six hours, Peronada. Leave the immediate area of the planet now, and then get all of your ships out of this quadrant in six hours. If you don't, well... when our truce ends, I think you know what I've got down here waiting for you if you try anything funny. And I may have more than one of those...or reflection satellites, my friend. Think of that. Maybe when we finally beat you, I can share a drink with you when I visit you in a concentration camp?"

"Devat, mark my words, I'll be back. But unless you and your rulers change their tune a little...well, our next meeting won't be quite so friendly. But, thank you for the favor. You're the first honorable Comet Imperial I've ever met."

"And you're decent for a stupid Earthling rebel, Peronada. Remember; we still claim your world. You surrendered."

"I don't think so, Devat," smiled Peronada. "Isn't Zordar a little bit dead?"

"Yes, by a fluke, I understand. When Gernitz returns in Zordar's cloak, I think you shall find otherwise. But, for what it is worth, farewell, Peronada. Just get out of my sight and out of my system. Got that?"

"Of course," said Peronada with tight lips. Then, at his end, Devat ended the communication and the _Bolivia__'s_ screen went dark.

* * *

A while later, the entire EDF Task Force (or what was left of it) made a rendezvous and warped out of the Procyon system. Captain Peronada sat in his office with a bowed head as Captain Denise Carroway of the _Valkyrie_ made her report about the fate of the scientific vessels.

"Those

"So, the survey vessels are gone and you want to try and get those prisoners back? That was our whole reason for being out here."

"Not good, is it, sir?"

"No, Carroway, not good. But, thanks for trying."

"Hey, I did my best," she grinned. "Not my fault they didn't let me ram them."

"I like your spirit, Lieutenant," said Peronada. "As Captain of your ship, you're going to go places. I'll join you for dinner a bit later on if you don't mind."

"I've got a fiancée, sir," said Carroway. "I don't know if he'd like it. And I think I'm a bit young for you."

Peronada laughed. "No, I don't mean in _that_ sense. You're my guest. I can't send you back to your command without giving you some of the fruits of our galley. Besides...it'll enable me to see if I can get permission from General Stone to allow us to go back out there and get back those prisoners."

"But I thought we were under orders to go to Iscandar. Don't we still have scientists on this ship?"

"Yes, but I think we can manage a side trip?"

* * *

Later on that afternoon, Denise Carroway and Eager sat eating a pair of steaks in the _Bolivia__'s_ messhall when Captain Peronada showed up. He smiled at them and said, "I've got good news, and bad news."

"What's the bad news?" sighed Carroway, who had, in one hour, just fought off two different requests for a date from two Cosmo Tiger pilots from the _Bolivia__'s_ squadron, which was known as the Blue Condors.

"Two pieces of bad news. No, Stone says we can't search for the survivors from the _Pioneer_, and, also, you have to give up your helmsman, Carroway."

"What?" said Carroway and Eager in shock.

"Sir, I don't wanna go anywhere else," said Eager. "Ah like bein' Carroway's XO. You ain't putting me on your ship."

"Sir, I think this is..."

"Carroway, hold your tongue a second," said Peronada. "The transfer's on the Commander's orders. Eager's going back to a place where the Commander feels his experience is needed. I'll give you one of my crewmembers as a replacement. The transfer of Mister Eager will take place in three days, after a couple of warps...when we rendezvous with the _Argo_."

"Sir?" said Eager as his face lit up. "No offense, Lieutenant, but do ya mean...?"

"_Si_," said Peronada. "Your orders are to report back to your old post on the _Argo_ in three days. You and a lady named Parsons will be working together on alternate shifts."

"That's great!" cried Eager.

"I don't understand why you're happy, Eager, I mean...you're taking a demotion," said Carroway.

"Yup, but I'll be back with mah friends. Wonder if Nova's coffee is as black and strong as usual?"

"Oh, no," said Carroway. "Is Star Force coffee really..._that_ bad?"

"You can try it in three days," said Eager.

"And what are we doing in this rendezvous?" said Carroway.

"We're getting some survey people and sharing our intelligence with Wildstar," said Peronada. "The rendezvous point will be near the Wishing Star of Voton...an idea spot...as we go out, they'll be coming home...or going to whatever they have to do. Stone was vague about that."

"Wonder what it'll be like when we meet them?" mused Carroway.

"Oh, you'll like mah friends," said Eager. "They're a neat bunch."

"Excuse me, Captain Carroway?" asked a Blue Condor pilot as he came up with his helmet and flight plan. "Like to go out with me?"

"No, I have a fiancée," said Carroway with a smile. "But thanks for asking."

The three of them chuckled as they saw the pilot slam his fist into one hand and mutter, "Looks like I struck out, too," before he left.

"Don't worry, sir," said Carroway with a smile as she saw the shocked look on Peronada's face. "It happens _all_ the time.":

"Yes, I'll bet."

* * *

**IV. DREAMS AND MEETINGS**

**Space Battleship _Argo_**

**Approaching the Milky Way Galaxy**

**Monday, April 5, 2202**

**1105 Hours, Spacetime**

* * *

"Another two thousand lightyears closer to home, luv," said Bryan Hartcliffe as he and Angie cuddled naked in their cabin. After a long, long, time, they had finally decided to resume intimate relations.

"I hope this mission will be over with soon, Bryan," said Angie. "I could use some leave with you. You know, we never had a real honeymoon?"

"Yeah, and I don't know if we can afford one now, either. Through me own fault, I'm makin'..."

"_Shhh_," said Angie softly. "We'll have pay socked aside in the bank waiting for us when we get home. I think we can go somewhere on that. What's Britain like?"

"Rainy and cold this time o' year. How's about the South Seas?"

"Sounds better," said Angie with a kiss. "By the way, you were really, _really_ good before. And it didn't hurt at all, honey."

"Thanks."

"Now if I can cure those wandering eyes of yours, I think I'll have the perfect husband. And, oh, yes, please don't pick any more fights with the Captain?"

"I'll try not to, luv."

"Good," cooed Angie. "I think you're finally learning, Bryan."

* * *

"Hello?" whispered Nova Wildstar in a soft voice as she and Derek lay together in _their_ cabin. "Derek? Sorry to bother you, but..."

Nova stopped as she looked at her husband's face. It had been a trying day, and Derek finally looked peaceful in sleep. "You're so tired," she whispered. "And you worried about me so much. Maybe too much, Derek. I'm all right. And so is Aliscea. I know we have new orders from the Commander," she said as she stroked his bare chest, "I know it's our job to find Ekogaru, and to take out Yvona...preferably with extreme prejudice after what happened today with the _Bolivia_ and the _Pioneer..._but...we have some time. Enough time for us to catch our breath before the next plunge," she murmured in a sleepy voice as she lay against Derek's chest, her firm breasts pressing close against his warm chest. "I think if I hold you enough, I won't want to get up and wander the ship, _koiichi_. And, even though you're asleep, you were _grrreeeeaaat_ before, my love. Boy, have you learned to make me feel good," said Nova with a soft smile as she shut her eyes. "Hope you give me some of your sweet dreams," she said through a yawn. Then, Nova blushed as a little bit of saliva rolled out of her mouth onto her beloved's chest. "Drooling on you again. Boy...does that make me feel...stupid," she mumbled as sleep began to roll over her.

Unknown to her husband, Nova was softly snoring on his chest about two minutes later. She smiled a little in her sleep a while later. Her dream was very pleasant and sweet.

On the other hand, Derek Wildstar's excursion into Dreamland wasn't quite as pleasant as his wife's dream, which was filled with grass, flowers, laughter, and rabbits hopping around in a meadow.

In Derek's dream, he was on a foggy quay somewhere near the ocean, dressed in his Captain's peacoat, Star Force uniform, ascot, and Captain's cap.. A foghorn moaned in the distance, and a ship's set of lights also loomed in the distance.

Wildstar heard footsteps in his dream, and then he saw a figure coming up slowly, leaning carefully on a walking stick. The hazy figure turned into the figure of a stocky, but strong man in a Captain's hat and peacoat.

Finally, the hazy figure resolved into that of a man with a beard. A seafarer, but not just any man.

Captain Derek Wildstar found himself gazing at Admiral Abraham Avatar a moment later.

"Captain Avatar..." he said in a quiet voice.

"Don't worry. As you can see, I'm back in good health," said Avatar. "You look good in that coat, and, my old wound's not bothering me any more. The sea smells good, doesn't it?"

"Yes, it does," said Derek. "Where are we, Captain?"

"Look up."

Derek did so, and the lights finally took shape. The great ship looming above them in the fog was the _Argo._ But, the odd thing was that she looked bigger than she normally was.

"Why are we here?"

"The time has come for us to talk," said Avatar. "You know that you're facing a threat that's cold, that's death, like this fog?"

"Ekogaru?"

Avatar nodded. "His power is getting stronger. We're even beginning to feel glimmerings of it over here on _this_ side."

"This side? My God, am I dead? Did I die in my sleep? Is Nova going to wake up in the morning and find she's been sleeping with a dead body?"

"No, you're just in a corridor, a sort of anteroom," said Avatar as he lit up his pipe. The ash glowed like a red eye in the fog. "We can meet here. And, mark these words well."

"What words?"

"Nova will be here in a while. Just a visit. But she'll be back. I can tell you that much." Avatar paused and listened. A strange sound came to their ears; the sound of a baby's cry.

"What's that?" said Derek.

"Just your son," said Avatar.

"But Nova's not pregnant!"

"Someday, she will be. Remember that much. It'll help you." A cold wind began to blow around them, and Avatar's scarf blew out of his peacoat and blew back in the wind. Avatar snorted with distaste. "Wind's changing. I've got to go back."

"Go back where?"

Avatar chuckled and pointed up to the _Argo._ "There. It's not quite Heaven, and I'm not there all the time, but there are times when He lets me check in on you. You mean you've never felt me around? I'm glad that you and Nova are enjoying my cabin, by the way. And don't be ashamed, either. It's been too long since there's been happiness and laughter up there. Nice change, having you kids there..."

Avatar then put his hands on Derek's dream-shoulders. "Remember, Wildstar. I picked you for the post of Deputy Captain. Don't lose heart, and don't lose hope! I see better days ahead for you...and for Earth..."

Then, the old man turned and walked off, disappearing into the fog. Soon, the sound of his cane was blotted out by the sound of the foghorn, and Wildstar stood there, knowing he was alone.

* * *

Then, the dream flipped. Captain Wildstar found himself in an odd place with nothing on.

"Weird," he said. He had been naked before in his dreams, and it was always a little disquieting. "What's this place?"

He looked around. There was a bed with a cheap white simulated wood headboard...a small couch, a dirty white rug, and posters on the wall. There was a poster of a popular basketball player of the day, posing in just a swimsuit. Another poster depicted a male stripper. Yet another one depicted a woman in a bikini above a Periodic Table, and another one was an EDF ship recognition poster.

There was a small desk with a chipped nameplate on it. The nameplate read MICKEY HENSON.

"Now I know where I am," said Derek. "The apartment that Diane Henson's brother used...the place we used to spend our..."

Then, Derek looked puzzled. On an end table sat Diane's bedroom slippers, open-toe mules with high heels and white fur covering the uppers. Beside them sat a small globe.

The globe was a representation of the city of Denver. He shook the globe, and snow fell on the little city.

"Nova's gift to me, here?"

Then, Derek noticed another object on the end table. It was a pair of black surfer thongs with pink straps. Unlike Diane's slippers, these shoes were pleasantly battered, and some sand was stuck to the soles.

"Nova's slippers?" he said. "What the hell are they doing..."

Then, the door to the bathroom opened, and Diane Henson herself walked in, totally naked, tossing her hair. Before the door closed, Derek thought he could see someone else in the shower behind the frosted glass...

Then, Derek lay there, moaning, gasping, and crying out in his unspeakable, sick dream. He began to sweat, and then he began to gasp...

...and the gasps turned to screams.

* * *

Derek Wildstar woke up screaming, screaming his lungs out while a concerned Nova looked into his face.

"Derek, darling. Derek! Come out of it! It was only a dream, honey...come out of it! You're with me! You're safe. Nothing to fear."

Derek finally stopped screaming. With his eyes half-shut, he looked into Nova's face.

"You're alive?"

"Of course I am," she said softly while she pushed away the covers and crawled on up over him so she could see his face better. "What happened to you? Another nightmare?"

"Yes...I..."

"Boy, you almost..."

"Thank God I didn't, given what I dreamed about."

"Was it about me?" whispered Nova as she began to...caress...him...in the unashamed and innocent manner of the loving wife she was. Since this was the touch of his loving wife, and not the touch of some awful phantom, Derek didn't resist, even though tears flowed down his cheeks.

"Nova, I dreamed of Captain Avatar. That was nice. Then, I dreamed I was in Diane Henson's apartment...and...and..."

"Derek, everyone dreams about their past. You can't help what you dream about, my love. If she did some nice things for you, I..."

"She belittled me...and in the dream I was married to you, but I was forced to be with her...and then, God...you showed up."

"Did I rescue you from Diane?" she whispered. "Derek?"

"Then, you turned...uh...into a skeleton in my lap while we were making love, and then your Aunt Yvona showed up, followed by Ekogaru. And then, they went at me! I hated it!"

"No wonder you were screaming," said Nova in a very soft voice. "Your poor dear. Well, it's over...and it's just us..."

"Well, what do you want me to do?"

"I dunno," giggled Nova as she began to tease him again. "How's about enjoying this?"

Then, she kissed him...and Derek _did_ lay back and enjoy it.

He was with his dear Nova. How could he _not_ like it?

They were up far into the night.

* * *

The next morning, a certain young couple looked _very_, very bleary-eyed as they sat together eating their hotcakes and synthetic bacon. They needed a boost so badly that Nova had slipped into the galley to make a small specially strong pot of coffee for Derek and herself.

"Well," teased Mark Venture as he showed up with Holly Parsons. "Three guesses as to what _you two_ were up to last night."

"Partly right," said Nova with a blush. "But there was a reason. He had a horrible nightmare, Mark."

"Derek...I'm sorry," said Mark as he gave his friend a rough hug. "Your parents?"

"No. It was about my wife dying in my arms. I won't say any more about it than that."

"I had a weird one, too," said Holly. "In my dream, I was being lowered into a tank and slowly drowned by a figure with a black hood. Then, he pulled me out, and I was paralyzed. He said _"Just wait until it happens, Holly. You'll never be a bride."_ Remember, Mark? I called you at 0400 to discuss that one."

"Three guesses as to who the figure was?" asked Nova.

"Ekogaru," said Holly. "I just _knew_ it somehow."

"Hey, I had a weird dream, too," said Conroy as he came up, having overheard them. "In mine, I was going down in flames in the rear place of a Tiger, and HE was at the controls, just laughing like a maniac. Laughing and laughing. Then, I woke up."

Hemsford came up. "I had one, too. In mine, the SOB had tied me to a Claymore mine. Which he then set off."

"I had one, too," said Tatiana Lubyanska. "In mine, I was receiving a live autopsy...from him, of course."

"In mine, I was shoved down one of the ship's guns...and then shot out burning into space," said Dash. "Of course, he did it."

"Guys, _guys,_" said Captain Wildstar. He put his hands up to stop the flood of crewmembers who were running up to their table. "Enough for now. It seems most of us had some pretty weird experiences last night. For now, I'm asking anyone who has had a dream to see Dr. Sane, Dr. Bradford, or Lieutenant Wildstar for counseling through normal channels. Then, I'll consult with someone to see what we can do about it."

"Yeah," said Hardy as he came up. "Another naight o' this and we won't be able to do ouh jobs. None of us will!"

"If I have a dream like the kind I had again, I'll go _insane,_ I _swear_ it!" cried Royster.

"Yeah...I'll go insane if I have another one like the one I had," said Homer.

"Aaaaa, you already _are_ insane," snorted Venture.

"_Hey!_" cried Homer as everyone in the messhall laughed. "That's a low blow, Venture!"

"Just kidding, Homer," laughed Mark.

"Yeah, I'll bet!" snapped Homer. _"Hmmmmph!"_

* * *

"Captain, this is very, _very_ strange," said Doctor Sane much later on that day while he pored over some results that Dr. Bradford handed him. "With our Marines, Black Tigers, flight crew, and regular ship's company of 114, we have just under 280 people aboard now, counting casualties."

"That's two hundred and seventy-two," said IQ-9. "Two hundred and seventy-three if you count me!"

"You're a robot, not a human," said Nova while she doodled on a pad. She, Sane, Captain Wildstar, and Dr. Bradford were meeting in the small briefing room in the bridge tower. "Doctor, did you get the same conclusion I did?"

"I did," said Sane.

"Well, what's so strange?" asked Derek.

Sane adjusted his glasses before continuing. "Well, out of two hundred and seventy-one officers and enlisted men on this ship, and one guest, that's Aliscea...two hundred and sixty-nine people had nightmares of various kinds. Most involved violent death, some involved a bizarre sexual element, many involved both. Only three people didn't have nightmares last night...as a matter of fact, they reported _pleasant_ dreams."

"Who were they?" said Derek.

"Aliscea Rosstowski of Pellias, Lieutenant Paul Rosstowski, and Lieutenant Nova Wildstar. Paul's on duty, and Aliscea, who is _quite_ upset, to say the least, is meditating. Something about these three people made them immune from the dreams, but I have no idea what it was."

"From what I can figure out, I think it involved contact with Aliscea's power in some fashion," said Nova. "Paul has a bond with her, and I was touched by her almost thirty-six hours ago when she healed me. If there was some way Aliscea could spread that immunity to every one of us..."

"But it'd drain her," said Bradford. "We know that after she exerts her power to a great degree, she is exhausted. Can she give her power to over two hundred people? And wouldn't it kill her?"

Someone outside tapped at the locked hatch. "We're having a confidential meeting, could it wait?" called out Derek.

"No it can't, I'm afraid," said Aliscea. "I understand I'm being discussed?"

"Derek, let her in," said Nova.

He nodded, and got up to undo the lock. "What can you suggest?"

"There may be a way I can deal with these nightmares," said Aliscea. "But, it will take time. I will try concentrating upon keeping the Dark Lord's essence out of the ship. You do know he lives. And you do know it'll be difficult."

"Aliscea, thank you."

"You are most welcome, Captain Wildstar."

The meeting ended on that note.

* * *

**V. LORD EKOGARU'S PLANS**

**The Grand Technomugar Fortress**

**At the Edge of the Milky Way Galaxy**

**Tuesday, April 6, 2202**

**1903 Hours, Spacetime**

* * *

The Grand Technomugar Fortress had just entered the Milky Way Galaxy.

Ekogaru, at last, was home.

"Vergar, how are we on my attack plan?" asked Ekogaru in his Audience Chamber.

"Better than expected. We obtained fresh acolytes and slaves from the Rikashans. They have helped our remaining population repair the Grand Fortress and the Phased Density Cannon. We have resumed speed, in fact, we are doing better than before, being able to warp 2,500 lightyears a day, now. We are here, not far from Carufax in the Rikashan Empire. The Rikashans have allowed us to aid them in their administration of the colony, and we have taken more slaves from the Carufaxi. Our trap for the _Argo_, therefore, is all but laid."

"I will ensure they come here in three, perhaps...four days," said Ekogaru. "Yvona! You failed me before, but it is forgiven. Take a Goraizu Fortress and go out and find the _Argo_ and attack her. I have weakened the will of her crew, and this shall do more. When they get to Carufax, I want them to be putty in my hands so I can enslave them."

"Of course, " said Yvona.

"What about the invasion of Earth?" asked Gralnacz.

"Thirty-five days to go now," said Ekogaru. "We must stop at R'Khelleva, receive their blessings and gifts, and then I foresee we shall merge the Rikashans and R'Khell into my Government at last under Zaden as Viceroy. Baron Cha'rif continues to harry the Earth forces. He shall do so, weakening them, until I warp this way, along a parabola from the outer spiral arm, through the Galactic Core, attacking Earth from the center of the Galaxy like so," said Ekogaru as he made a graphic appear on his grand screen. "Then, I shall play them a symphony of destruction on my rebuilt organ until they either surrender or I have to blow Earth itself into dust. Then, the Grand Rikashan Fleet under Lord Zaden shall arrive a few days behind me to take care of any final resistance. Are we clear?"

"We are," said Ekogaru's underlings as one.

"Excellent," said Ekogaru. He sat down and began to slowly play Bach's "Passacaglia and Fugue in C Minor." Then, he stopped, laughed, and said. "The next time I play this, the Star Force shall hear me. And they shall follow this tune, yes, to their doom. And they shall bring Aliscea with them, and I shall begin corrupting her into my new image, after my own likeness."

And, again, Ekogaru laughed. Today, he felt almost triumphant.

* * *

**_THERE ARE NOW 35 DAYS TO THE ARRIVAL OF EKOGARU IN EARTH'S SOLAR SYSTEM_**

* * *

**To Be Continued With Act Seven: _"The Journey Home (?)"_**


	7. Chapter 7

* * *

**ALTERNATE TALES OF THE STAR FORCE**

**STAR BLAZERS****---****PASSICAGLIA AND FUGUE IN C MINOR**

**Being the eighth part of THE RIKASHA INCIDENT--- BY: Frederick P. Kopetz**

_Thanks again, everyone…for your continued reviews and support. _

_Believe it or not, we are getting near the home stretch at last on this story. The eighth ficlet (This one) has only one more chapter left to go after this one, and then we have the ninth, tenth, and eleventh ficlets in which the downfall of our enemies is finally set up. The tenth and eleventh ficlets, to be exact, set up the situation that leads directly into my Speed Racer/Star Blazers/Doctor Who crossover "Attack and Counterattack", which can be read in the Speed Racer Anime section here at As such, therefore, "Attack and Counterattack" is the first sequel to this tale. The second sequel "The New Comet" which I will begin posting soon here at is a piece that again takes up the story from this work and fills in lots and lots of questions as we meet some new characters and life changes for some others beginning in the Year 2205. Have fun, and thanks for those reviews. -- **Freddo**_

* * *

**ACT SEVEN--THE JOURNEY HOME (?)**

* * *

**I. A COMMAND PERFORMANCE**

**First**** Bridge**

**Space Battleship _Argo_**

**1500 Lightyears Away from the Wishing Star of Voton**

**Tuesday, April 6, 2202**

**2202 Hours Spacetime**

* * *

That Tuesday went down in the history of the Star Force as the first time Homer picked up the weird fugue on the radio.

It was near the end of a watch on the _Argo's_ First Bridge, ten o'clock at night in layman's terms. Due to a sense Aliscea had experienced, Captain Wildstar had ordered the regular crew to stand an extra watch.

At that time, Wildstar was concluding a conversation with the Commander, who had just called in.

"So, you and Aliscea feel that Ekogaru might be alive after all?" said Singleton.

"Yessir, we do," replied Captain Wildstar as he looked up at the main screen to catch Singleton's expression. It was a little hard to see at times…since there was intermittent interference from a nearby quasar that gave off radio pulses.

The Commander took a deep breath. "Based on the information you told me, this sounds as if it might be worth checking out. We were hoping that you could return to Earth soon so that you could be present for debriefing, inspection, and also be present at the planning sessions for our defense against the Rikashan Fleet. The war is picking up; while there hasn't been a full-scale attack yet, there have been two more Rikashan raids in the past three days, one upon our base at Neptune. We could use you back on our solar system, Captain Wildstar. We really…"

At that, Singleton's voice and image faded out in a burst of static.

"Homer, try again," said Wildstar. "Try pulling it in on maximum gain."

"Yessir."

Homer turned some dials, and the Commander came back a moment later. "What happened?" asked Singleton.

"Just interference from a nearby quasar, Commander. As I was saying, we still are planning to return as we scheduled. We're aware that it's important. Besides, another refrigeration unit failed; our provisions are running a bit low again. We only gathered so much on Beemira before that battle."

"That, too," said the Commander. "It appears that Ekogaru or someone in his name may be guiding the efforts of these Technomugar and their allies, and members of Yvona's cult recently bombed a mall in the Megalopolis and killed two hundred innocent men, women, and children. When do you expect to return home?"

The signal faded out again, to be brought back by Homer. When the Commander reappeared, Captain Wildstar said, "We expect to be back in our solar system by the ninth or tenth, sir, after we make that rendezvous with the _Bolivia_and pick up Lt. Eager, of course."

"Very well. See what you can do to discover any information you can about the Dark Lord by then. We're especially interested in knowing if that Fortress survived the cataclysm at Iscandar or not. We have also been in touch with Gamilon through the relay network. It seems that Desslok's work to rebuild his civilization on Gamilon is going well. The Gamilon general we spoke to said they will also keep watch for Ekogaru and his Fortress as well."

"Thank you, sir," said Wildstar. "Any further orders?"

The signal faded out again. After it came back, Singleton said, "None for now. See to it that Mrs. Voorhees is returned safely. Good luck, Captain Wildstar."

And, at that, the transmission ended.

* * *

Some time passed on the First Bridge after the conversation with the Commander; about a half hour or so. At that moment, Dash was looking at his Combat Station instruments and drinking some cold coffee. Nova's last run with the cart had been about an hour ago, but since she had picked up a few radar contacts right after coming back with the cart, no one dared ask her to go back below to the Second Bridge's eternal coffee pot for more coffee.

The contacts had proved to be nothing, but Captain Wildstar felt that one still couldn't be too cautious. The ship, therefore, had been on yellow alert until 2158, right before the Commander had called in.

"So what do you think?" said Homer.

"About what?" asked Dash.

"Eager coming back in two days?"

"Anyone explain how you guys are fitting him in?" asked Holly Parsons.

"It's easy," said Venture. "Todd Voorhees will be leaving the Star Force in a few days when we get home. He'll train you as his replacement Commander for the Second Bridge crew. In turn, you'll get Eager back up to speed so he can take over his old post again. When Voorhees ships off to take ground duty with his wife, who is, after all, expecting, you'll take over as the Navigation Crew Chief on the Navigation Bridge, and Eager will take back his old post. Until then, you'll be sharing it with him."

"Well, I guess it's all right," she grunted. "Of course, that means that you'll be losing half your female contingent from up here."

"Ahh, we'll still have Nova to look at. She doesn't look half bad," said Dash.

"I think that's a compliment, so thanks," said Nova. She was ambivalent about this change. On one hand, she'd miss the joking camaraderie she had shared with Holly. She knew the men couldn't understand the special rapport that two women could have in a workplace. On the other hand, she'd be glad to have her old friend Eager back, even if that meant that Eager, Dash and Homer would again be joined at the hip like they had been in the old days. _They're probably going to start playing DungeonQuest all over again,_ thought Nova to herself. _I hope they don't ask me to sit on one of their role-playing games again as an Elven Thief character in a brass bikini and nothing else. That did not work, thank you._

"Huh?" said Homer at his post as he worked his board and a strange pattern ran across his oscilloscope. "What's this?"

"Well, c'mon, Homer, don't keep it a secret from us!" said Venture.

"He's keeping it a secret because he has a girlfriend," said Dash. "Hey, Homer, you got a girlfriend?" he said as he walked over.

"Oh, shut up," said Homer.

"What is it?" asked Captain Wildstar as he walked over.

"Music."

"What kind?" said Holly as Nova jumped up, followed by Yamazaki. Sandor and Venture were the last two to join them.

"Sounds like some maniac playing a harpsichord," said Homer. "And it's really clear. This is weird!"

_"Harpsichord?"_ asked Nova. She grabbed Homer's headset off his head and began to listen.

"Hey, who do you think you are?" cried Homer. "Mark Venture?"

"_Shhhh_," said Nova. "I'm trying to figure out what this is. My Mom made me take piano lessons as a kid." Luckily, Nova had the presence of mind to push aside Homer's hand and push the "record" key on his board.

"Now the _whole crew's_ messing with my board!" yelled Homer. "Captain, they learned this all from Venture! Now they're all picking on me! Even Nova!"

"Homer, cool it," said Derek. He recognized a certain look on Nova's face. She was both puzzled and intrigued by the music.

"What is it?" said Derek.

"Listen," she said as she flicked a switch. The melody was soon playing on the bridge speakers. Filled with noise and static, it sounded like…well, a madman playing a harpsichord.

"Sounds like an Earth melody, oddly enough," said Venture. "Homer, what's the directional heading on this?"

"Huh?"

"Where's it _coming from_ so we can get a navigational fix on it?"

"You and your navigational crap!" yelled Homer.

"That's enough!" snapped Derek. "Glitchman, you're relieved!"

"What the…I…?"

"Homer, if you're not going to help us, the Captain feels you'll get in our way up here." said Nova. "Wish that melodic line would play again, it sounds like Bach."

"Bach?" said Sandor.

"Johann Sebastian," said Nova. There was a pause in the melody as she gently pushed Homer out of his seat and sat down behind the console. Then, she and Venture worked as a team to run a navigational direction finder scan on the signal.

"That's it!" snapped Venture. "RLX-225 by NT-82, twenty minutes, four seconds. Right there at the far edge of the Orion Arm, about 30,000 lightyears up along that spiral arm of the Galaxy, and thirty thousand lightyears away from Earth."

"And they're playing Bach 30,000 lightyears away from Earth?" said Derek.

"Sounds like it," said Nova. "I think I got it! It's one of his fugues!"

"Which one?" asked Sandor.

"_Passacaglia and Fugue in C Minor_," said Nova. "But…whoever is playing it…is playing it like some kind of madman. Chilling!"

"So we've got some crazy dude on a harpsichord 30,000 lightyears away," said Dash. "Hey, Rosstowski, he must've gotten around."

"Who?"

"Bach."

"Not funny, Dash," said Rosstowski.

"Can't you take a joke?" said Yamazaki.

"This may be too serious to joke about," said Captain Wildstar. "You know, ever since those nightmares and that experience that Aliscea had where she said she was aware that Ekogaru had survived, I began thinking…"

"Yeah?" said Venture.

"What if that Fortress is still working? Even if Ekogaru lived, that ship could be a wreck…or, then again, what if it's not? What if that melody is coming from that Fortress?"

"That might be our answer," said Nova. "What else could transmit a melody across space like that, through all that interference? It should be difficult to pick up signals here; we had a hard time getting the Commander. Aren't we right near a quasar, Sandor?"

Sandor nodded. "We are, Nova. NGC-10456, to be exact. Normally, all we would be picking up on this band should be that quasar and a burst of noise that would be interfering with our communications, such as just happened with the Commander's message. We won't really have good communications again from here until after we make our next two space warps and reach the Voton stars."

"Weird," said Dash. "The mystery gets thicker as we get right near home. Rosstowski, think Aliscea might know anything?"

"I'm asking her now through our link, Dash."

"What is she saying?" asked Captain Wildstar as Venture and Parsons held hands.

"She said she doesn't know," said Rosstowski.

"Boy, doesn't _that_ stink?" said Dash.

Paul just nodded.

The melody faded out, but just before the noise of the quasar returned, Derek's eyebrows went up as they heard…

…a voice.

It was deep, sepulchral, and cold. It simply said, "**_You shall find your answers…when you Come to Me…"_**

"Oh, my God," muttered Dash. "I think I recognize that voice."

"Me too," said Holly fearfully.

Captain Wildstar's lips curled back from his teeth. He snapped, "Do you think we're coming to you like that? I'm heading back to Earth, whoever the hell YOU are! But be assured, we will find you somehow!"

The fugue ended, over a soft, unmistakable sound.

The sound of laughter; laughter as cold as the grave…

* * *

A while later, Aliscea listened to the tape in the small briefing room in the bridge tower. There, the entire regular bridge crew of Captain Wildstar, Nova, Venture, Holly, Sandor, Yamazaki, Homer, Dash, and Rosstowski, accompanied by Doctor Sane and Rabbi Greenberg, were gathered to hear her opinion of the tape. Luckily, Homer had calmed down. He would need all of the calm, for the tape was the most chilling thing he thought he had heard in his life. When it got to the laughter, she signaled for it to be turned off.

Homer did so. Gratefully.

"I know that's him," Aliscea said. "I don't need to hear any more. I'd recognize that damnable Voice anywhere. It seems the Dark Lord himself has our phone number, so to speak. It's unusual for him to speak directly like that, and so openly. He usually uses his emissaries or dreams, or other weird methods. But calling us up on the radio?"

"How do you know it's him?" asked Sandor.

"Yes? How do you _know?"_ cried Sane as his voice went very high on the last word.

"Hmmh?" said Aliscea with an annoyed look in her eyes.

"I mean…couldn't someone be imitating him?" said Nova. "Couldn't this be a Rikashan trick…an elaborate sick joke of theirs? I know you've felt his presence lately, but is he like…_everywhere_?"

"If he has his Fortress…he could have arrived at that point by now," said Aliscea. "Even I really don't know how fast he can travel when he is in full command of his faculties. And if his Fortress is working, he seems to have some bizarre symbiosis with it. I can't do much right now to tell, one way or the other. My powers are still drained from that fight I had with him the other day, when I had to kill that Technomugar trooper and bring Nova back from the brink of death. It'll take me a few days to recover and tell you for sure."

"He's toying with us if he is," said Captain Wildstar.

"That he is," said Aliscea. Then, she said, "His power is getting greater. I can feel it in my bones." Then, even though she wore both her black dress and a Pellian serape-like wrap in black of some kind over it, she shivered and put up her legs, clenching her toes hard in her sandals. Paul hugged her, trying, somehow, to ward off the cold. Then, Aliscea's eyes seemed to go dark. It looked as if she was able to see things that the rest of them were unable to see. Her head flew back onto the headrest of her chair, and she looked up into space and howled, "_STOP TOYING WITH US, YOU BASTARD! STOP IT! SHOW YOURSELF!"_

"How do you know the voice is his, Aliscea?" asked Venture.

"Yes? How do we know what's going on?" asked Rabbi Greenberg.

"Don't patronize me, you two!" snapped Aliscea. "I know that Voice. I feel his presence in me, through me, and around me. And, as Paul knows, I once met the Whoremaster."

"In person?" asked Captain Wildstar. "You never told us this."

"It was in the past, I thought it unimportant to our current concerns and worries and too personal to share with you. I can tell you, Paul, and Nova, but not these others." sobbed Aliscea. "Not even your Chaplain can hear this!"

Wildstar knew what to do. "Venture, would you lead Parsons, the Rabbi and everyone else out of the room for a moment? Aliscea needs to speak to Nova, Paul and myself alone."

"Yessir," said Venture. Mark looked at Sandor and then at Holly. "C'mon, everyone. Let's go."

The others left, leaving the Wildstars and Rosstowskis all alone. Rabbi Greenberg was that last one out. He looked at Aliscea with concern as he walked through the hatch. After a pause, Aliscea continued to speak to the small group.

"It was five years ago, when he said that he wanted peace and an armistice with the Pellian Federation. He said he was going to send an emissary to meet with a delegation of ours on a planet in the Blackeye Galaxy in what had been our territorial space. That planet is now destroyed; _he_ did it, of course."

Aliscea paused to wipe away tears. "My father, Shardovan Gralnacz, led the delegation. We were to meet with them in a room in the governmental hall on that world, which was called Bavarden. The Bavardini Council was there, all eight of them, my father was there, my mother was there, and I was there. Then, I was just fifteen."

"Ekogaru's Fortress was not far away. I saw it there for the first time with my own eyes. Ekogaru sent a delegation to Bavarden. The man who led the delegation was some general of theirs named Vergar. He looked insane and hard. He gave me the creeps. Said he had come straight from the Dark Throne itself and knew Ekogaru's mind better than any being alive. My father, who was supposed to be leading the delegation as representative of my mother's sister, the Queen, actually seemed pleased to see him. It shocked everyone. Vergar and my father spoke as if they were old friends. It turned out they were."

"Then?" asked Derek.

"Then, in the middle of the meeting, things did not go well for Vergar. He began to cry out and writhe in torment, speaking to an unseen presence. Then, a minute later, the Unseen became seen. Ekogaru himself appeared in a blaze of multi-colored light in that room, and stood on the conference table right near me."

"I remember him well," said Aliscea. "In your measure, he stood about a bit more than two meters tall, maybe seven or eight feet. He seemed to be about three hundred pounds in girth, and he was robed in black with shadow surrounding him. Yet, we could see his face. It was a strong but very ancient-looking face of pale green, wreathed by long black hair flecked with grey. Strength and corruption combined in one man. What a bizarre picture. He wore black boots and had a dark mustache and the most sardonic expression I have ever seen on a sentient's face before or since. He told us that he had been there all the time and he apologized for Vergar's conduct as he kicked him in the chest. Then, he said he was going to negotiate with us himself. The negotiations then grew worse. There was no peace. He made threats and left. But, before he left, he smiled at my father. My father then smiled back."

"That night, as I slept…" continued Aliscea. She had to pause to catch her breath.

* * *

Time passed.

Outside, Mark Venture heard sobs…then cries, and then he heard screams from within the room.

The door abruptly opened, and Derek and Nova came out alone. Aliscea was left alone to sob out her memories and secrets (secrets Paul already knew through their bond) into her mate's tender, kind, loving arms.

"What happened?" asked Venture.

"Aliscea was raped years ago," said Nova with tears in her eyes.

"By who?" said Venture.

"By her father…and by Ekogaru. That's how she knows him so well," said Wildstar. "My God, I feel sick. Let's go!"

* * *

**II. THE EVENTS AT THE ORION NEBULA**

**First**** Bridge**

**Space Battleship _Argo_**

**700 Lightyears Away from the Wishing Star of Voton**

**Wednesday, April 7, 2202**

**0316 Hours Spacetime**

* * *

It was well past 0300 on the next day.

Nova was serving as Officer of the Deck that watch and was in command of the _Argo_.

The watch had been mind-numbingly routine after the events of the briefing room and the bridge crew's talk thereafter. Nova had chugged down two more cups of coffee to stay awake.

She felt strange sitting at Avatar's old command station at the aft part of the bridge, but the new standard operating procedure that Derek had reluctantly adopted for all command personnel a few weeks ago required the acting skipper to be there to monitor everything.

"How are we on keeping on course, Parsons?" asked Nova.

"Steady as she goes, ma'am," said Holly from the helm. "When do we warp again? And are we going after that message?"

"Not until 0800 tomorrow morning." _By then, I'll be in bed,_ thought Nova. _Kind of a good thing….I've__ been awake for about twenty hours straight now. _

"What about the message, ma'am?" said Holly.

"The Captain hasn't decided yet. Derek…he…he's calling the Commander in the morning."

"I see, ma'am."

"Engine's normal," said Diane Henson from her post at Engineering. "Hey, ma'am? Wanna hear a joke?"

"What kind of joke?" mumbled Nova as she stifled a yawn.

"It's not dirty."

"Good. I don't need to hear any dirty Navy jokes for a while. Not after what I heard tonight. Go ahead, Diane."

"There's these three guys at the Pearly Gates," said Henson. "One's a minister, the second guy is the Pope, and the third guy is a lawyer. They're all standing before Saint Peter on line waiting to see if they get in or not. The minister comes up; Saint Pete looks in the book. "I see you've had an impressive record…lots of service for mankind, great deeds for your church. You're admitted, this angel will show you to your heavenly mansion. Welcome." Then, the Pope comes up. Saint Peter says to him, "Wonderful record, you've worked hard and prayed hard, led your part of the Church Eternal well, and you didn't molest any kids. You get a palace near the Big Guy's House. Enter into the joy of your Lord.""

Then, Diane paused. "Then the lawyer comes up. Saint Peter looks through the book on this guy. "Nice record, you didn't cheat, lie, or steal…amazing…and you helped orphans and widows. You get a log cabin near the edge of the city, and you are about to witness a great miracle."

The lawyer gets mad. "Why do I just get a log cabin?"

"Well, your deeds weren't as great as those of Pastor Crenshaw or the Pope. You didn't bring anyone to the Lord, you didn't spread the Word around, you were a lousy fisher of men, and you didn't fish very well. That's important, my son; I used to be a fisherman back in Galilee."

"Okay, what's the miracle?"

"Behold, the miracle is that a lawyer gets into Heaven at all," said Saint Peter.

The crew chuckled at that one. Nova smiled but rolled up her eyes. "Typical lawyer joke," she muttered. "I heard a zillion of them growing up, Diane."

"Why's that?"

"My dad is a lawyer. Not a bad guy, either. He served a few years in the JAG Corps during part of the Gamilon war and he knew the Commander when he was just a Captain."

An older man named Master Sergeant Riley was manning Gunnery. "I was his Marine orderly then when he commanded the space battleship _Westlake_," It was one of those old _200_ class ships. I've got a story for you, ma'am."

"What kind of story?" asked Nova.

"Ma'am, I met you when you were a rugrat. A rugrat in diapers."

"Oh?" sighed Nova. She was always a little embarrassed when people began telling stories of her childhood. It was worse when she was trying to maintain a command presence of some kind on the bridge of what was, for this watch, _her_ ship. "Go ahead. Hope this isn't too bad."

"Well, you know your dad and Singleton were classmates in law school or something together or college…don't remember which."

"Okay."

"I was with Singleton in about 2179, early spring. You were just over a year old, in a little sundress and a diaper. You were on your dad's lap pulling his mustache."

"Yeah, I was told that I had a habit of doing that. Most people do when they're toddlers. Go on."

"Well, you were there on your dad's lap babbling away. One cute little girl. Then, you crawled into Singleton's lap and looked hard at him. Hiram oohed and ahhed over your and he tickled your chin. You were so cute."

"Then?"

"Then you bit him."

"Okay…uh…I bit my future commanding officer. Then?"

Holly was sitting there, looking over the back of her chair with a smirk. She thought this was turning out to be pretty funny.

"Then, ma'am…not sure how to say this…your little bladder went, and part of your diaper was loose. You peed right on Singleton."

Nova shut her eyes and put her head on the console as the bridge crew laughed their butts off. _My God, this is horrible, _thought Nova. _They don't need to know that!_

"Thank you," said Nova. "Now, Sergeant, can we stop this…I…"

"Radar contact," said the man at the cosmo-radar, a Corporal DeFalco. "Thirteen contacts at TD-118 off the port bow, range, twenty-two megameters, speed, thirty space knots. They're coming in fast."

"Identify them better," snapped Nova as she flicked on a klaxon. The klaxon began to go off, and she raised her intercom mike. "General quarters, general quarters, all hands," she said over the PA. "All hands to General Quarters. Captain to the Bridge."

DeFalco then said, "Ma'am, I have them identified. One space fortress, six battleships, six cruisers, and they're all Technomugar. Switching to video panel."

Nova looked up. "A Technomugar Goraizu Fortress! Riley, Nishina," she said, speaking to the men at Gunnery and Combat. "Open main guns! Target, the enemy fleet. But, don't fire yet!"

"Missiles approaching!" cried DeFalco as a spread of missiles roared out of the Fortress before Riley could even begin turning the main guns.

The spread of missiles roared towards the _Argo_ and hit a moment later, buffeting the ship and the bridge tower.

Below them, the briefing room they had been using a few hours ago was torn apart.

Above them, the port side radar aerial was torn off as the missile tapped the rear edge of the Captain's Quarters.

Up in the Captain's Quarters, a portion of the false overhead and some support beams tore loose, crashing into Derek and Nova's bathroom and the lobby outside their cabin with a loud crash.

Captain Wildstar awoke with a start when he heard the crash and smelled wisps of smoke coming through the hatch. He jumped out of his bunk, pulled on his pants, and frantically tried to open the hatch to his cabin. He couldn't; the hatch's outer pull handle had jammed on some of the debris outside, holding the hatch tight, even though it pulled into the cabin to open.

"Damn!" he roared, hitting the hatch in frustration. "I'm trapped up here…unless…"

A moment later, fire roared into his cabin through an access hatch. He grabbed a fire extinguisher from an access hatch and began to fight the small fire clad in only his pants.

He began to cough from the smoke. He thought, _God, am I gonna make it through this? _

Then, the _Argo_ tilted beneath him, and there was a bang, and Derek Wildstar heard and saw no more for a bit as he crashed to the deck in his cabin…

* * *

Royster was at Sandor's post, calling out damage reports as Nova, assisted by a Master Sergeant from Navigation named Tyrone Carrolly, fought a fire near the short-range combat radar that Parsons usually manned.

"Good thing I jumped up in time, ma'am."

"Yes, otherwise, you might have been full of glass, Sergeant."

Nova and the taller African-American stopped for a moment to wipe their brows. Nova coughed; the smoke was getting to her slightly.

"Can you handle that, ma'am?" asked Carrolly.

Nova just nodded. "Nishina! Contact Conroy! Have him launch the Black Tigers!"

"Trying," he said. A minute later, he then said. "Ma'am. Conroy says they've lost power to the flight decks. Without power, they can't lower the planes on the elevators."

"Damnit," said Nova in frustration. "Then what do we have?"

The ship shook. Nishina ran over to help Holly with the helm. "We have main guns, ma'am. I can get them ready in a minute…"

"Good," replied Nova. She coughed again. _Smoke's getting bad,_ she thought.

In the meantime, Parsons and Nishina held hands on the helm, fighting to keep the _Argo_ under control as she took hit after hit.

"The crew's quarters are hit and there's a bad fire!" cried Royster. "Part of the Captain's Quarters has been hit! The central computer room has been hit! I'm sending damage control parties now!"

"Oh, no!" cried Nova as she sprayed some pressurized fire suppressant into the Combat Radar board. "Sergeant Chang!" Nova yelled at the woman who was manning Communications. "Call the Captain's quarters! Try to see if he's all right!"

"I'm trying…" said Chang after she shook some hair out of her eyes. "No answer, ma'am!"

"Great," said Nova, fighting to keep back tears. _Derek! My God!_ Nova thought. _Will I ever see you again? And where's Venture and the others? Am I the highest-ranking officer left on this ship now_? "Royster! Get those damage control teams up there ASAP!"

"Yes, ma'am."

A minute later, part of the Combat Radar blew up in Nova's face. Carrolly threw her to the deck just as she also shielded her face with her right arm. She felt a sudden pain in her arm. When she struggled up a second later, she saw that the sleeve of her uniform had been shredded, and that there was a bad cut on the inner crook of her elbow. The blood soon stained the remainder of the form-fitting gold sleeve of her uniform.

"Ma'am, your arm's bleeding," said Carrolly. _At least that Goddamn electrical fire's out now,_ he thought.

"Better than my eyes being put out. I don't know if Doctor Sane has bionic replacements in my shade of brown or not."

Nova ignored the flow of blood for the moment as she ran to her post at the Captain's console to check status reports. She coughed again, feeling a bit light-headed.

* * *

"What's going on out there? I can't open the hatch to my cabin!" yelled Venture into a microphone as he stood in his cabin in his Star Force pants and an undershirt.

There was no response. Communications were out. "First bridge! Hello!"

His phone rang a minute later. Mark ran from his desk to get the phone in the bulkhead. "Deputy Captain's Quarters!"

"Venture, this is Sandor. The crew's quarters were hit. I'll be there in a few minutes with a damage-control team to get you free. In the meantime, hold tight. "

"I can't reach the bridge! Who's in command up there?"

"Officer of the deck. Wildstar's trapped in his cabin, too."

"Crap! Who's the OOD on duty tonight?"

"Nova."

"Well, maybe we'll survive this," said Venture as he heard an explosion and then a scream somewhere in the bowels of his ship. "Maybe."

* * *

Riley said, "Ma'am, we're ready to fire…" when another spread of missiles roared in.

There was a sheet of flame at the front of the bridge, and Holly's chair was thrown back as the Navigation console exploded. Of course, Holly was in her chair. Parsons and her chair crashed to the deck near Nova's usual cosmo-radar post, just a few centimeters away from an edge of the Astro-Compass. Holly screamed in pain. "_Damn!_ My _back_!"

Ignoring her own bleeding (which she was trying to staunch with a crude pressure bandage she was tying around her arm), Nova ran over, her boots skidding on the deck for a moment in a patch of fire retardant mixed with blood. "What's wrong?"

"My back hurts!" screamed Holly. "And I can't feel anything in my legs or move them!"

"Don't move," said Nova as she held Holly in her chair. "It'll just make it worse. Carrolly! Get over here and relieve me. Help hold her in place, like this!"

"Yes, ma'am," said Carrolly. He ran over to help Nova, who was now taking Holly's pulse. _Getting a little weak_, she thought. _Not good. But she's not strapped in, and we can't move her without a back board._

"I hurt so much," sobbed Holly. "And I can't move my damn legs! Oh, GOD! Please help me, Nova!"

"I'm doing all I can," said Nova in a soft voice. "I'll get you to Sickbay ASAP."

"Chang!" cried Nova. "Get medics up here and get them to the Captain's Quarters to check on the skipper! Hurry!" She then spoke into a microphone at Royster's post. "Third bridge! Assume control of the helm from your board! Stand by for directions from the first bridge."

"Aye, aye, ma'am!" said a voice from below over the speakers.

Chang nodded as she carried out Nova's command. "Medics! We need medics! First Bridge and the Captain's quarters."

"Helm!" called out Nova to the Third Bridge. Her whole sleeve was quite bloody now; the pressure bandage had loosened a little, and she was very light-headed. "Thirty degrees hard a'starboard!"

"Aye, aye," said a voice over the speakers.

The _Argo_ began to turn, trailing smoke as she did.

"Turrets one and two corrected bearing, plus five," said Riley.

"Great!" cried Nova. "FIRE!"

Coughing like crazy as smoke billowed around him, Nishina said. "Firing main gun turrets one and two! _Fire!"_

Nishina and Riley fired. One of the battleships was hit, but Nova gritted her teeth in rage and frustration when she noticed the heavy energy beams just bouncing off the Goraizu Fortress.

"Fire again! Get those battleships and cruisers!" snapped Nova as two cruisers wheeled around and hit the stern. "Helm! Five degrees port! And return that fire to aft!" barked Nova, conning the _Argo_ on her knees as she tried to make a second pressure bandage out of the remains of the sleeve of her uniform; she had torn the sleeve entirely off, baring her whole arm. Her arm burned like fire, but she refused to let anyone see that she was in pain.

"Aye, aye, ma'am. Aft gun turrets, _fire_!"

Nishina fired again, taking out a battleship and a cruiser. Another barrage took out a second cruiser. The _Argo_ was now manuevering through a field of debris and gas from the destroyed Technomugar warships.

"I called the medics, they're on their way" said Chang.

_Good, now we're getting somewhere,_ thought Nova to herself with a grim smile as she realized she had just taken out her first enemy vessels as the _Argo's_ acting skipper. She then added to herself, _But we've gotta do more!_ "Fire again!"

"Fire!" yelled Nishina.

The _Argo's _guns spoke again, both fore and aft. Another Technomugar cruiser and another battleship were both hit even as the _Argo_ herself was hit again. The time, one of the gun turrets was hit.

"Forward fire's down thirty-three percent," said Nishina.

At that moment, two medics arrived; one had a back board.

"Get Parsons strapped down; she has a spinal injury," snapped Nova.

"Yes, ma'am," said the medic. "Ma'am…you want that arm looked at?"

"I'll be okay. Just give me some gauze and a fresh bandage. Tend to Miss Parsons. Okay, Nishina, fire bow torpedoes at them," said Nova. "Maybe torpedoes will do some damage to that fortress."

"Aye, aye. Readying torpedoes!"

"Damage control is now working on the Captain's quarters and main computer room," said Royster.

"Ma'am!" cried Chang. "Signal coming in from the enemy flagship!"

"Put it on video," cried Nova.

They looked up at the panel. Nova ran back to her post at Command (a seat that both she and Derek used reluctantly because of the memory of Captain Avatar). She staggered as she clutched her bleeding arm. As she sat down, breathing quite hard with exertion, an image appeared on the main screen.

"Well, Star Force, I bet you're glad to see _me_," said a sarcastically sweet voice. The woman had brown hair, dark eyes, and wore a pink outfit with an EDF peacoat over it. "Nova, my darling! It's been such a long time since you had a chat with your poor Aunt Yvona, isn't it? You're not looking well. Did I give you a nasty boo-boo?"

"So that's what she looks like," muttered Chang.

"My God," said Royster in a low voice.

Nova ignored the pain in her arm and her lightheadedness. She gasped out one more deep breath and then looked up at her aunt with burning eyes. "You shouldn't speak to me that way, Yvona. I'm acting commander of this vessel at the moment. Unfortunately, you chose the wrong ship to pick on." Nishina nodded at Nova. "Good. Nishina, fire those torpedoes at that fortress!"

"Fire!" said Nishina.

The _Argo's_ bow missiles fired just as Yvona said, "Nice try there with those missiles, dear. Too bad they can't hurt me!"

The missiles took out another battleship.

The crew cheered as, off in space, a few plumes of smoke, gas, and flame appeared on the surface of the hated Goraizu Fortress as two torpedoes slammed home. However, Yvona just smiled, and the ugly ship didn't explode. "Tell me, Nova, why did I choose the wrong ship to pick on? You can't hurt me, but, as you have seen, I can hurt you!"

"Because we're going to finish you off in about a minute. Mark my words, I'll do it, Yvona. Nishina! Get ready, on my mark!"

"Aye, ma'am!"

"Brave words, you stupid little piece of crud," hissed Yvona. "Where's Derek? Did I kill your hubby?"

"That's unimportant at the moment," said Nova as she blinked tears out of her eyes. "What's important is beating you. And I don't care to keep this conversation going, you treasonous bitch! Goodbye! Chang, cut her off!"

Chang nodded and cut Yvona off.

On her Fortress, Yvona screamed with rage. "You don't hang up on me, you damned idiot! Gunners! Open our belt guns and begin charging! We're taking out that ship; I don't care what the Dark Lord ordered!"

"Yes, ma'am," said a crewman.

* * *

Nova then looked at Henson as Parsons moaned. "Only one thing to do, Diane."

"What's that?"

"Stop all engines. Transfer all of our energy to the wave motion gun."

On the deck, Holly screamed. "Don't move!" cried Nova. "Medics are coming…don't worry."

* * *

In his cabin, Captain Wildstar came to. The smoke had mostly cleared; Derek thought it was a miracle that he hadn't suffocated up here. His head hurt, and some blood came away from a cut after he put his hand to his brow. He heard banging outside. "I'm in here!" he yelled.

"Good. Give us time…we'll get you out, sir," said someone right outside his hatch.

Captain Wildstar then thought he heard the pulsing thrum of the wave motion gun beginning to come up. _What the hell? _Derek thought. He coughed again, then he got up. Staggering over to the nearest comm unit, he called up the bridge. "Hello? First Bridge?" he said over the speakers at the Captain's post.

In her pain, Nova's face lit up like a neon sign when she heard that voice. "DEREK!" she cried. "Thank Heavens you're all right! I'm still in command here. Venture and the others haven't gotten here yet. Crew's quarters have taken a hit."

"Why are you ordering the wave gun fired?"

"It's a Goraizu Fortress, Derek. Yvona's in command of it."

"Yvona? DAMN! How are you doing with that fortress of hers?"

"Well, we tried hitting it with the main guns, but nothing happened, and torpedoes just nicked it. The Black Tigers are grounded; no power in the flight bays. Did anyone get to you yet? I sent damage control and medics up there to get you."

"The damage control guys are here now. Seems that the cabin took a hit outside our hatch by the head. I can't open the hatch."

"Then how will you get down? It'll take too long for them to remove that debris…I…hmmm…"

"An idea?" said Derek. "I've got one too. You'll have to get someone to move Captain Avatar's portrait…"

"I think I know what you're planning. The chair lift?"

"Yeah."

"We'll get right on it," said Nova with brimming eyes. "But, remember, I am fighting a battle down here for us. I've gotta get that Yvona."

"Good luck until I can get there to relieve you. You're doing the right thing, firing the wave gun. In fact, there's nothing else you can do now."

"Thanks," said Nova. She then looked up. "Carrolly! Riley! Move the Captain's portrait off the bulkhead! We need the lift working!"

"Yes, ma'am," said Carrolly. "Riley! Move yo' butt over here and help me!"

"Gotcha," said Riley as he left his post.

* * *

"Henson?" said Nova.

"Energy level's at eighty percent. I think we can fire in about two minutes."

"Good. Nishina, open the safety lock."

"Safety lock open."

The _Argo_ shook again as Yvona fired more bursts at her. Nova got her goggles, and then ran up to carefully put a pair on Holly. "Don anti-flash defenses," she yelled as she slid her goggles on. The bandage slipped, and a stream of dark red blood flowed from her arm as she did so, spattering on the deck a moment later.

_Must've nicked a vein,_ she thought. _If I don't get help, I'm gonna be on the deck soon_. A very light-headed Nova staggered to her post to help Riley and Carrolly detach the chair. The plaque of Avatar was already moved.

"Okay, Derek, c'mon!" cried Nova into the mike.

Venture and Sandor ran up onto the bridge just as Derek's chair came down.

"What the…?" said Venture.

"Firing the wave gun," murmured Nova. She smiled and managed a shaky salute as Derek came down on the chair lift. The Star Force had last used it when Captain Avatar was on the ship. Derek had told Mark and Nova once that when the _Argo_ had been on patrol for nearly a year, it had never been used. Derek looked disheveled; he needed a shave and he was both bare-chested and barefoot, still wearing only his Star Force pants. "Am…am I relieved?" asked Nova.

"You're relieved," he said patting her hand. "Take your regular post...if you can…"

"I'll try," she said, but then she passed out, falling into Derek's lap like a discarded toy. The loss of blood from her arm had finally overwhelmed her.

In the meantime, Venture noticed Parsons being worked on by the medics. She was strapped in a backboard, almost ready to be moved. "Holly…" he said. "My God…no…!"

He ran over to Holly and held her hand. Four more medics came in with two gurneys.

"We hear you've got wounded, sir," said one of the medics.

"We do," said Derek, who stood there with a limp Nova in his arms.

"We have to hurry, sir. She might be going into shock."

Derek held back a sob and squeezed Nova's hands as the medics put her on the gurney. "Get them out of here…fast! We're still fighting."

"Yessir."

A sobbing Venture openly wept as Holly was put on the other gurney strapped to her backboard. "My legs!" she cried. "I still can't move them! I'm paralyzed!"

"NOOO!" sobbed Mark.

"Don't worry, we'll get you fixed up," said a medic. The other two ran out with Nova; one was working on her arm as they ran into the lift.

Derek shook his head. "Mark…we'll go on… we have to."

Venture wept as he leaned against the Captain's console. "Couldn't Nova have done more? She's a nurse!"

"Mark, she was trying to fight a battle. Like we are. Get those goggles on and go sit over in Analysis."

Venture gritted his teeth and nodded.

"Energy level now at 90. Thirty seconds to go," said Henson.

Nishina raised the target scope. "Enemy Fortress locked on target."

A breath of time passed. The remainder of the Technomugar Fleet fired again, a grim Captain Wildstar ignored the enemy fire. "Energy level at 120!" said Henson.

"Begin ten-second countdown!" snapped Derek.

* * *

"Wave motion gun, huh? Nice try, Nova… you've got some nerve! But you won't get me with that! How's our guns?" smirked Yvona.

"Still charging, ma'am!"

"Damnit, they can charge that thing faster than I can charge our DI'ATS battery. Stop charging! Looks like I have to run…Nova darling! I'll slap you across the face for daring to try to wave-gun me later! Helm, ready us for a warp, leave the others here to die and cover our escape."

"Where are we going, ma'am?"

"The edge of Earth's solar system. I have some business there before we go back to Carufax and report to Ekogaru."

"You mean you'll let them live?"

"Yes. I'm going back to His Lordship's original plan…let him drive them to Planet Carufax. He has his ways!"

"Yes, ma'am…ready to warp!"

* * *

Captain Wildstar called out the end of the countdown as Nishina sat with his hand on the wave gun firing grip. "Five…four…three…two…one…zero. FIRE!"

Nishina fired the wave motion gun.

A beam of roaring energy blasted out of the _Argo_ once again, just as it had far too many times on this desperate and difficult mission. The beam of energy blasted towards the Technomugar Fleet, blasting apart a battleship and a cruiser as soon as it hit.

As the enemy ships began to explode, Yvona's Fortress warped out…just in time. A mere second later, a roaring beam of energy blasted into the spot where it had been as the rest of the enemy fleet went up around it in a brilliant display of fireworks.

"We got them!" cried Royster as he and Sandor stood together at Sandor's usual scientific station. He took off his glasses to wipe tears out of his eyes, and received a hug from Laurel Hartmann. The Black Tiger pilot had come up onto the bridge to meet him, and she and Royster looked at each other with happiness. Rumor had it that they had grown closer, and that there might even be an engagement announcement soon after the war was over.

"No, we didn't," said Sandor grimly. "She warped out, and sacrificed her own fleet to cover her escape."

"Damn her!" cried Carrolly. Behind him, Diane Henson came up, giving the NCO from Navigation a sad hug from behind.

"Yeah," muttered Diane. "Damn her."

"At least the battle's over," said Captain Wildstar.

"Yeah," said Venture sadly as he stared hard at the empty, discarded chair where his fiancée had been…

* * *

**III. ANOTHER GRIM AFTERMATH**

**Sickbay**

**Space Battleship _Argo_**

**700 Lightyears Away from the Wishing Star of Voton**

**Wednesday, April 7, 2202**

**0429 Hours Spacetime**

* * *

Sickbay was a room filled with moaning, injured people. It was a grim scene, but one that Captain Derek Wildstar had, sadly, become accustomed to as he stood in chaos near some gurneys that had been pushed near a partition.

Wildstar himself had been considered 'walking wounded'…he had been examined for his smoke inhalation, given some medication, and, then, some nurse had thrown a towel over his bare shoulders. He knew it wasn't Nova…Dr. Bradford had told him she was still being worked on.

He staggered over to a gurney beside which his best friend mourned.

"Holly…Holly," sobbed Venture.

"Mark, am I ever going to walk again?" Holly said in a small, weak voice.

"I don't know," said Dr. Sane. "I can't answer that yet."

Captain Wildstar walked over and turned away, focusing on Venture's face. Holly was on her side on the gurney being examined by Doctor Sane and two nurses. Her uniform had been cut off and thrown on the deck, and she had been stripped to her undergarments for emergency treatment; she already had several tubes and wires coming out of her. The tubes ran to an IV, portable heart monitor, and other such instruments. Her stomach had a bandage over it. The bandage was bloody.

_Holly,_ thought Mark. _You're beautiful, and I always dreamed of seeing you like this, but its was supposed to be on our wedding night…not here. Not like this with you broken and in agony! You can't even move those beautiful legs! What the hell is wrong with this Universe? Does everything and_ _everyone I touch end up dying? Are you going to die like Trelaina did?_

"Don't look at her, Wildstar," said Venture. "They're working on her. They can't cover her up!"

"I know," said Derek, looking around at his injured crewmembers so that he could look away from the suffering form of Holly. Some had on hospital gowns, some were partly clothed, others were undressed like Holly in the chaos. An unfortunate few had bloody sheets over them, and they would soon go to the morgue. "They stripped Nova, too. She's still unconscious."

"This is _her_ fault," sobbed Venture.

"What do you mean?" snapped Derek.

"Nova could've done more for me; she's a nurse!" gasped Holly.

"Yeah," said Mark. "I hear Nova was more concerned with winning that battle than with treating Holly. I heard that she just looked at her and got back to fighting."

"As it should have been; she was in command. She had the whole ship to look after, Mark."

"_Wildstar!_ You cold, indifferent…"

"Mark. If you were in command, wouldn't you have done the same thing?" said Derek as he put a hand on Venture's shoulder. "Sometimes, aren't there times when the needs of two hundred outweigh the needs of one?"

"I don't know," said Mark as he sat down in a nearby chair, shaking and on the verge of tears. It's hard for me to figure that out…there's only one way for me to find out for sure…"

At that, Mark rose, stalking towards Nova's gurney like an angry, avenging angel.

"Venture!" yelled Wildstar. "At least let her wake up and get treated and covered up, first!"

"Is she awake yet?" he snapped at one of the nurses working on her.

"She's halfway awake," said Natalie Fisher, who tried to cover her friend up with a tan-colored blanket. Like Holly, Nova lay in very little on the gurney with a heart monitor on her pitifully bare chest and tubes running into her body. "We're almost done bandaging that arm, and she's getting a transfusion! Can't it wait, sir?"

"Venture, let it wait…." said Derek.

But Mark just waked up to Nova, stared hard into her semi-coherent eyes, and snapped, "Did you do all that you could for Holly? She's paralyzed!"

"Mark…that's you?" said Nova.

Venture nodded, while closing his fists.

"Did everything I possibly could have…feel terrible," muttered Nova. "I couldn't move her…we didn't have a back board…I didn't want to aggravate that injury…had to save the ship…we…I.."

Nova sat up, with her blanket falling down to her lap as she moved. For a heartbreaking second, her battered form was almost fully exposed before she grabbed the blanket and hastily covered herself. "Can you just go _away_, Mark?" said Nova in an angry, trembling voice. "I'm cold…and I have nearly nothing on!"

"Nova…I…" muttered Venture.

"Derek!" sobbed Nova. "Just hold me…my arm hurts so much…so does my chest."

Derek came up and hugged his wife, trying as best he could to make her fully decent.

"Venture, just go away," snapped Wildstar. "That's a direct order. We'll talk later."

"Robots," snapped Mark. "Both of you! Nothing but_ robots!"_

"Mark," said Nova, as she gazed at Venture with deep hurt in her eyes.

"What?"

"You're becoming driven again; just like you were with Trelaina. You're _too_ driven. Don't you know that this can destroy you? I don't like seeing you like this!" Then, she began to cry again while clenching her fists.

"She's my fiancée, Nova…you…you…oh, I don't know _what_ to say!"

"Mark, get out of here, or, I swear, I'll…" snapped Derek.

"You'll what?"

"You know."

"You two, _stop_ it! Do I have to get up like this to break you two up again?" snapped Nova. "Derek, you and Mark are both acting ridiculous! This doesn't have to come to physical violence! Don't you _know_ how upset I get when I see you two going at each other like that?"

Dr. Sane then came up. "You'd better get out of my Sickbay, Venture!" he said. "I'll talk to you later in my office. For now…you're just getting in the way…"

"Doc…"

"You too, Wildstar!" yelled Sane. "For Heaven's sake…let my nurse finish treating Nova. Hands off! Let her go! You can talk to her later in your cabin; I'm releasing here there after that transfusion's finished."

"Okay…yeah," said Derek.

"Yeah," said Venture.

Both Wildstar and Venture stood together, refusing to look at each other. But, even though they were angry at each other, they were like brothers for one reason; they were both filled with heartbreaking concern for their loved ones.

* * *

A few hours later, Dr. Sane talked to Venture. Sane was sitting cross-legged in a chair in his office, with a bottle of sake in one hand. He had been drinking. Mark had declined the liquor the first time that Sane had offered it, so Sane was drinking alone. Beside him, Mimi sat on the deck and yawned before climbing up into his lap for warmth; her feline thoughts didn't reckon much upon the scene that was taking place here in old Sane's office.

"Can't Aliscea do anything for her?" asked Venture.

Sane sighed. "Not right now. Aliscea's still drained, like she said at that briefing earlier. Don't you remember what she said?"

Venture gritted his teeth, thinking back to Aliscea's comment earlier:

_"If he has his Fortress…he could have arrived at that point by now," said Aliscea. "Even I really don't know how fast he can travel when he is in full command of his faculties. And if his Fortress is working, he seems to have some bizarre symbiosis with it. I can't do much right now to tell, one way or the other. My powers are still drained from that fight I had with him the other day, when I had to kill that Technomugar trooper and bring Nova back from the brink of death. It'll take me a few days to recover and tell you for sure."_

"Yeah. She had the energy to save Nova, but not for Holly…right?"

"Before she could even do anything, Venture, we'd have to open up Holly and get that glass out of her spine. That would be a very dangerous operation that could claim her life, but we'll have to do it if she can ever have any hope at walking again."

"How much sensation and ability to move does she have?"

"Just down to about the tops of her thighs, and that's it. Luckily, she's not incontinent, and well…she can still…she still has sensation…like a woman, and she…could still have children. Not all is lost. At the very worst, she could still be a wife to you; but she'd be in a wheelchair if we can't restore her ability to walk. You'd need to take extra care of her, Mark."

"Is there anything you could do, Doc?" sobbed Venture. "I'd even donate some of my own nervous tissue if it'd help her. Even a bit of my own spinal cord."

Dr. Sane breathed a deep sigh and poured some sake for Venture. "Drink that," he said. "Doctor's orders."

"Thanks." He and Sane drank, and then Mark muttered. "That damned Wildstar and Nova. You'd think they could be more sympathetic."

"Oh, they are," said Sane. "You don't want to know what Nova offered before when we were moving her up to the Captain's Quarters to rest."

"What'd she offer?"

"She said, and I quote, '_If you need to operate on Holly, you can take some of my spinal cord for growth hormones or the needed nervous tissue if you need a donor. I could learn to get around on crutches if I needed to_.' Unquote."

"My God, Nova's an angel. What about Wildstar?"

"He agreed with her. Think about that before you condemn your best friends, Venture. Those two would cut off their own right arms to help you…even if they want to punch you in the nose at the moment; a punch you probably deserve."

"You think I should go see them now?'

"I wouldn't…not now. Nova, remember, has been up for close to twenty-four hours. She's catching up on sleep. So is Captain Wildstar."

"How'd you manage that?"

"Some hot chocolate; with a little addition of my own. Now, Sandor has command of the ship. I recommend you get something."

"What?"

"Sleep. Now, drink up."

"Thanks."

"You know what this reminds me of?" said Sane.

"What?"

"Our first journey to Iscandar, when Wildstar blamed Avatar for what he thought was Alex's death. Luckily, Holly didn't die, but Holly is sort of in Alex's role. You're in Wildstar's. And Nova is in Avatar's role, right down to that wound in her arm and having to make very tough decisions. You know, the old Captain had a hard choice when he was choosing his Deputy Captain on that voyage."

"Why?"

"He told me it could have been Wildstar, which it was, or you, or even Nova. He had a bit of a time choosing among the three of you. Do you think he made the right choice?"

Venture sighed. _If it had gone differently,_ he thought. _I might be Captain now. I've been there. It's a tough place to be, that seat. You do have to kind of turn yourself into a robot. I know what Nova's like. Making the choices she had to make in that battle…it must have been like hell for her._

"I think he did. I don't know if _I_ could do that every day or not."

"Nova told me she couldn't do that every day, either. She's filled with guilt over what she had to do, as a matter of fact. So? Do you think Captain Avatar made the right choice?"

"I think he did."

"I'm glad you realized that. Oh, one last thing, Venture."

"Yes?"

"Robots don't have nightmares over what they have to do every day; over the decisions they have to make as Captain. Derek does, Mark. He's still very much a human being, and very much your friend. He wants to see you and Holly being happy together, too. I hope you remember that."

"Thanks, Doctor Sane," said Mark. He finished his drink. "Can I go now?"

"Yes, you can go."

"Thanks."

* * *

**IV. HOMELAND SECURITY**

**Earth**

**The Federal Megalopolis**

**Thursday, April 8, 2202**

**1105 Hours Spacetime**

* * *

"So, what's the status of the_ Argo_ at the current time?" asked General Hidalgo Camacho of the Earth Defense Council. The Council was meeting today in a larger meeting room than usual because they had guests, namely, Admiral Falworth and the other four main Fleet Commanders of the Earth Defense Forces, as well as the Commanders of Interplanetary Defense Command and Patrol Fleet Command.

"They're supposed to be home by the tenth," said the Commander.

"And with them home, we will have a full Fleet again, since our Fleet Construction plan is now complete," said General Weller.

"I would like all of you to introduce yourselves, if you would, gentlemen," said Singleton, looking towards Falworth and his men.

"Yessir," said Falworth. The mustachioed older man sat up erect in his chair. "Admiral Jeremy Falworth, commander of the Combined Earth Defense Fleet. My flagship is the new space battleship _Andromeda_, which is the Flagship of First Fleet, in command of Area One."

"Do you think that the Fleet is ready for action?" asked the Commander.

"Well, we've just replaced the Third and Fourth Fleet commanders and put them in a new flagship. But, all of the primary ships we need have passed trials, and the whole new Fleet is one line. We've had a few skirmishes with the Rikashans, but we're expecting to hold a set of wargames late next week so that we can work together as a unit, sir."

"Good," said Singleton. "May I ask the rest of your subordinates to introduce themselves?"

"Yessir," he said. "Gentlemen?"

A younger looking dark-haired man in a blue and gold peacoat somewhat like Falworth's sat up. "Members of the Council," he said with a slight Italian accent, "I am Vice-Admiral Alberto Manella, commander of Second Fleet in Area Two. My flagship is the _Andromeda_-class Space Battleship _Perseus._ We're ready to go._"_

Then, Falworth nodded towards a snowy-haired African-American man who sat in a black and red peacoat. "Thanks, sir. My name is Rear Admiral Terrell Spears, commander of the Third Fleet, Earth Defense Forces." Spears adjusted his peacoat and said, "My flagship is the space battleship _Aphrodite_, ladies and gentlemen. And we've already seen action. So, I know we're ready to go when the balloon goes up."

Falworth then nodded towards a somewhat dark-skinned Japanese man who looked quite a bit like the late Admiral Gideon. He sat in a black and red peacoat, and he had a very grizzled appearance. "Members of the Council, a lot of you know me. I am Rear Admiral Ryu Yamanami. I've had action before; and I've just been called back to active service after sitting around for too long. I'm in command of the _Cepheus,_ flagship of Fourth Fleet, in Area Four. We lost a cruiser recently around Neptune, but we managed to recoup our losses and drive the Rikashan raiders out of the solar system. We're ready to go now."

Then, Falworth nodded towards a fifth man, a grey-haired man in a black and red peacoat. "My name is Rear Admiral Nikolai Perulov, the skipper of the new Space Battleship _Scorpio._ It's a shame we lost Hoshiyama in battle a few weeks ago. I'm ready to fill his shoes with my new ship, though, and to go out there and do what we have to do in Area Five, or wherever we're ordered to go."

Falworth nodded towards a sixth man, who was another grey-haired man in a red and black peacoat. "My name is Rear Admiral Daijiro Kobayashi. As Head of Interplanetary Defense Command, my job is patrol and escort. I've been doing that from the bridge of my flagship, the _Jamaica_-class space battleship _Congo_. She's not as big as the five _Andromedas_ my brother skippers command, but she's ready to fight when we get the call."

"Finally, the last man with us is the commander of Patrol Fleet Operations," said Falworth. "Commodore Burkhardt?"

"My name is Commodore Joseph Burkhardt," said the youngest-looking of the Fleet commanders assembled there…a dark-haired man with intelligent eyes who looked a bit like Pete Conroy of the _Argo._ He was also Angie Hartcliffe's father and Bryan Hartcliffe's father-in-law. As Bryan had discovered when the recently promoted Commodore had beat the crap out of him a few weeks ago, he was also quite a strong man. "I'm the skipper of the Patrol Cruiser _Colorado_, the flagship from which I command our outer solar system patrol ops. I've had a lot of action out there, almost too much. But, we're continuing to keep watch out there for any intercepts from the enemy so that we can let you know what's going on out there, ladies and gentlemen."

"What about our eighth skipper?" asked Stone. "When's Wildstar supposed to be back again?"

"By the tenth, maybe the ninth," said Singleton.

"Not bad," said Falworth. "Now, would you like to hear about our defense plan?"

"Go ahead," said Singleton.

Falworth called up a graphic. "I plan a flexible defense. We won't put everything into one basket or two like we did at Titan. Instead, our new defense fleets are prepared to strike the enemy fleet from one of a number of decentralized locations to reduce their strength before the main battle begins. That was the best part of Gideon's defense at Saturn-Titan in my opinion. As such, Singleton and I plan for Captain Wildstar and the Star Force to be a vital part of our defense. I hope that her role will be providing the intelligence we need, as she has been doing, and then acting as an independent unit on her own with a few escorts so she can strike the enemy at her weakest spot before it even enters the inner solar system. If she and that super-powered space princess that the _Argo_ is bringing back home can strike at the Dark Lord's strength again before he enters our space and break the head of the enemy attack there, so much the better. If not, I hope she can provide the information we need to take out Ekogaru by ourselves so we can then break the will of the Rikashans, who depend upon the Dark Lord like a god."

"What would be the role of the Gamilons in this effort?" asked Weller.

"We hope that Desslok can provide a fleet to attack the Rikashan Fleet before it reaches our space and blunt part of its thrust there," said Singleton. "I understand the Gamilons are sending patrol units into the Far Eastern Arm to watch the Rikashans and let us and Desslok know when they'll strike. As such, the Gamilons are acting as a second advance patrol fleet for us."

"It sounds like a good strategy, sir," said Camacho. "There's just one thing…"

"Yes?" said Singleton.

"I hope it works."

"So do I…so do I…," sighed Singleton.

* * *

After a morning deposition, Karl Forrester had returned to his Megalopolis apartment a little earlier than usual, having no other work for the day at his firm.

He stepped through the door of his apartment and found Teri at home waiting for him, with a candlelight lunch ready.

"Teri?" he asked. "What's the occasion?"

"I was at the doctor today," she said with a smile.

"How'd it go? Okay?"

"I'm okay, but the results weren't what we expected. It's not an early change of life or exhaustion or anything like that?"

"Well, what is it?" laughed Karl.

Teri tiptoed up to Karl in her house slippers and gave him a soft kiss on the cheek. "You're quite a devil, you know that?"

"What do you mean?' he laughed, although he was getting an idea where this conversation might be leading. He was beginning to sweat a little.

"Nothing bad," said Teri as she looked out towards space for a minute. "But I wonder how we're going to tell Nova?"

"Tell her what?"

"That she has a brother and sister on the way," crooned Teri. "Congratulations, Karl. In late February, it seems, you made me a mother again. It won't be long until we hear the patter of little feet around here. All over again."

"Oh, Teri!" sobbed Karl in happiness and surprise.

At that, she and Karl kissed.

Once again, the Forresters were going to be parents…in their forties, rather than in their twenties….

* * *

Later on that day, on the _Argo_, the helm was repaired, along with part of rest of the First Bridge.

Todd Voorhees sat at the Cosmo-radar, and Becky sat at the battle radar, underscoring the absence of Nova and Holly by their very presence.

Dash was also absent; he had actually lost a leg in the fighting, and was being fitted with a cyborg replacement in Sickbay. As a result, Captain Wildstar was back at the Combat station, seated next to Venture.

He and Mark weren't getting along well. Sandor, of course, knew exactly what was going on. The others only knew from scuttlebutt that they had recently had a serious argument in Sickbay.

"So, how close are we to Red Star?" asked Wildstar.

"About two hundred lightyears now. One more warp will do it, sir," said Venture.

"Is that _all_?" asked Wildstar.

"Hey, sir, I gave you the report you wanted," said Venture. "What _more_ do you want from me?"

"A bit of respect." Derek stood up. Everyone tensed; here was the explosion they were expecting. "You know, Venture, we have a lot to talk about."

"I've thought about it a bit, and I'm sorry for what I said about Nova. Are you sorry for what you did?"

"For what I did?"

"Yeah. You looked at my fiancée down there, all exposed like that!"

"So? You saw my wife in her underwear, Venture, and _you_ didn't seem to mind!"

"Hey! What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"Everyone knows the obvious. When you aren't looking at Holly, you're looking at _her_!"

"She's one of my best friends, Derek."

"Or she was," said Wildstar. "Last time I heard, she wasn't exactly looking forward to talking to you again!"

"How would you like it if I just came up to you and gave you a punch in the nose, _then_ talked some sense into you?" snapped Venture.

"Hey, you two! Cut it out!" snapped Sandor. "Derek, you think Nova would like to see you going at Venture like that?"

"She would, Steve. She would know I'm defending her honor."

"She wouldn't like that, and Holly wouldn't like the way you're carrying on, either, Venture. Why don't you two just chill out?"

"Yeah, I've got a ship to run," said Wildstar. He sat down, banging his behind very hard into the chair.

"You mean _we_ have a ship to run," snapped Venture.

"Oh, bug_ off!"_ snarled Derek.

* * *

**V.** **TRANSITIONS**

**Space Battleship _Argo_**

**The Aft Observation Deck**

**Friday, April 9, 2202**

**0131 Hours Spacetime**

* * *

Some called it Betelgeuse. Others called it Red Star or the Wishing Star of Voton.

Whatever one called it, the great red star that the _Argo_ had almost been destroyed near in 2199 thanks to a Gamilon trap was an imposing sight.

A depressed Mark Venture stood leaning against the rail, sighing as he recalled a conversation earlier in the day.

_"Mark?" Holly had said._

_"Yes?" Mark remembered that by then, Holly was clothed again (in a nightgown) and she looked very wan and tired, and had a hard time moving in bed._

_"Mark, Doctor Sane's talked to me. I know I may not survive that operation on Saturday."_

_"I know," sobbed Mark. "I can't bear the thought of losing you. It makes me sick inside."_

_"Mark, this is going to sound like a crazy request…"_

_"Yes?"_

_"Mark, in case I don't make it…I want to have our wedding before the operation…right here on the ship."_

_"Holly?"_

_"I mean it, Mark," Holly had said in a soft voice. "If I'm going to die, I want to die bearing your name. And, I have needs, too. A woman's needs."_

_"Holly…" said Mark in a choked-up voice._

* * *

_And that's how it ended, _thought Mark. _She went back to sleep after begging me to ask Wildstar. But how can I? We're still barely speaking after that fight in Sickbay and that fight on the bridge. Can I go to Nova? Probably not. I haven't talked to her…since…since I blamed her for what happened…._

Behind Venture, the doors whizzed open.

He turned his head and saw Nova approaching the rail. He knew she had been ordered to rest in her cabin after having been fixed up, and he hadn't seen her since their argument in Sickbay.

She was wearing civilian clothing: a pink khaki romper that he knew she had purchased in the 20th century when they had gone back in time, and the brown wrap-around "hippie" type sandals she had been wearing in the 20th century. With her short sleeves, her bandaged arm was quite obvious.

She looked at Venture in silence, and leaned against the rail. She paused to feel her pockets, slapping at herself and not finding what she was looking for.

Nova then turned to Venture with a rather embarrassed, bittersweet smile. "Mark?"

"Yes?" said Venture in a morose and defensive voice.

"I'm sorry we had words the other day. I want to sketch something on a pad. Can I bum a pen or pencil from you?"

"Uh…let me see if I've got one, Nova. Uh…here we go. Is a pencil okay?"

"Thanks," she said softly. She took the pencil, pulled out a small pad, and plopped down in the chair. She put her feet up in the rail, stretched her legs and toes like a cat, and then began to sketch something.

"What are you doing?" said Venture.

"Trying to draw that nebula out there," said Nova as she inhaled deeply. She looked upset over something. After she exhaled, she said, "Mark, Derek and I had a fight tonight."

"About what?"

"About you," she said angrily as she sketched, pausing a moment to wipe tears from her eyes. "I thought we should bury the hatchet and realize you were under a ton of stress. Derek is still as mad as a hornet. I understand that, but I got ticked off at the things he was saying about you. So, I decided to get dressed and come down here. Far as I'm concerned, he can sleep by himself for a night until he calms down. He can be such a _child_ at times!"

"Yeah. You got that right, Nova."

Both of them chuckled. Nova's chuckle, which came through tears, was rather sad and rueful. Finally, Mark said, "I'm sorry I looked at you when your blanket slipped down there in Sickbay, Nova. I mean…all you had on were your underpants, and…"

"You're forgiven," said Nova. Then, she said, thoughtfully. "You wouldn't be what you are if you hadn't looked, you know," she said with a sad smile. "In any family, I guess a brother's bound to see his sister stepping out of the shower or something at some point. Derek also said that he's sorry he looked at Holly…even though we all knew it couldn't be helped." Then, Nova paused. "Mark?"

"Yes?"

"That glimpse…did I look nice to you? Just…wondering…"

Venture wasn't sure how to answer this one. "I don't want to get between you and Wildstar, but…"

"Mark, I heard about some of what was said on the bridge earlier." She just smiled. "I know you've been carrying a torch for me deep down for years and I don't blame you for it. A woman just knows these things. Of course, there's Holly, and…"

"Well…there was Denise, that girl I was with at the Academy."

"You told me about her."

"Then you, but I didn't want to get in the way of Wildstar…and I still don't. I…uh…then, there was Trelaina, and then Holly…"

"Holly," said Nova softly. "I'm going to do all I can to help Doctor Sane in that operation. I want you two together, and I still want to attend your wedding…with Derek, of course."

"I'm glad you asked about that," said Mark softly. "Nova, do you think uh…well…Holly had a request for me. She said she knows she may not survive the operation. Can you ask Wildstar for me if he can have Rabbi Greenberg perform our wedding before the operation? She wants to be with me…and be my wife, especially if she doesn't live…she…oh God, I've had too much pain lately…I…."

At that, Venture broke down and began to sob.

Nova stood up and threw her arms around him from behind. "Oh, Mark!" she said. "Of course I will. You poor man, yes, of course I'll ask him."

"You'd risk being on the outs with your husband…for me…?"

"Yes, I would," said Nova.

"Why?"

"Don't you know that I love you in a certain way, too?" said Nova in a soft voice. "No, don't get me _wrong_," said Nova. "You're not between Derek and I in any sense. I love you like a _sister_, Mark. Not as a _lover_. Like a good friend. You don't know how hard I cried when you lost your life to protect me, before Trelaina saved you. I know how you felt for me, and it's OK. But, I'm with Derek now, but…in my way I…care…and if Holly needs a donation from me, I'll gladly…"

"Nova…no," said Venture with a deep gulp as he saw her standing there on her slender but strong legs. "You can't sacrifice your own ability to walk for us. As for you and I…You don't. You shouldn't care so much…I'm a…."

"Mark, I do care," said Nova in a soft voice as she walked around to face him. She looked into Mark's eyes, and then, she gave him a soft but emphatic closed-lip kiss on the cheek. "A man who can love like you can deserves a good woman. Holly's my friend, and, of course, you two will be together. And you're going to spend the rest of your life with her. I'll see to it. Doctor Sane and I will give Holly all of our efforts...even if you don't want that donation. And God willing, we'll help her get well."

"Nova, thanks. Mind if I?"

"You what?" asked Nova with a blush.

"If I return the favor? You…you kissed me, and…"

Nova then knew what he meant. They fell into each other's arms, and, for a moment, he kissed her back.

It was a long moment.

Mark only broke the kiss when he felt a certain stirring in his loins. He wanted to jump away, shocked that his body was beginning to respond to his best friend's wife in this way...shocked that his own body was betraying him like this. Nova looked down at her neckline, seeing a flush beginning to form.

"Hoo boy…" she muttered. "I…"

"You what?" asked Mark.

"Didn't mean for _that_ to happen. I'm sorry…"

She stepped back, gently, but accidentally, rubbing Mark's booted toe with her sandaled toes for just a second.

Then, the door whizzed open. Before the startled pair could fully step away, a third figure stepped in, looking like an angry storm cloud.

The figure was Captain Derek Wildstar.

He looked at the two of them breaking their hug, and he snapped, "Mark! Nova! What the _hell_ are you two up to?"

"It's not the way it looks!" snapped Venture as Wildstar stepped forward and Nova stepped back.

"What?" snarled Derek. "Holly's paralyzed, and you think _you_ can come between us, VENTURE? And, Nova, what in blazes is _wrong_ with you?"

"Derek," snapped Nova as fresh tears ran from her eyes. "The man needed a friend; I forgave him, and he was asking me if he could see to it that he and Holly have a wedding ceremony. Does that look like the behavior of someone who wants to come between you and I?"

"Well, you told me I could have my bunk to myself tonight!"

"Only because you were acting like a…like a _jackass!"_ snapped Nova as Mark stood in shock, never having heard them argue like this before. "Did you see me taking this wedding band off? Do you see me taking it off now? _NO! _I _love_ you, you big jerk!"

_Good for you, Nova,_ thought Mark with a grin. _I think I've just seen the first person call Derek a jackass and escape with all their teeth._

"Then why were you hugging Venture?"

"I hugged him and we shared a kiss…yes…a kiss…because I wanted to make him _feel_ better! He had Holly on his mind, and he was upset because she had just asked him if they could have their wedding before she had her operation. Didn't you ever have a girl cousin who gave you a kiss when you were upset, Derek? Didn't Alex ever hold you when you were crying? It was like that, Derek! Can't you see I love you even when I'm _mad_ at you, you big idiot?"

"But you were _hugging_ him!"

"Derek, let me demonstrate something. Mark, close your eyes. Do not open them until I tell you!"

"Huh?"

"Just close your eyes, Mark. And turn your head!"

Venture did. Then, his heart jumped as he heard Nova letting down her zipper slightly.

Nova came towards her husband with her bra exposed and then, she hugged him very hard and kissed him, forcing her tongue into his rather startled mouth. She snuggled against him with a raw physical affection that was quite shocking. Derek could also see that she was trying very hard to keep from just collapsing into tears

"Derek…if I had kissed him like that, the way I kissed you, that would be adultery. But, no! I kissed him like this." And, at that Nova hugged Derek softly and gave him a peck on the cheek while she zipped her romper shut again.

"Then, " continued Nova. "He kissed me back the same way for a few seconds; but when we felt it was long enough, we broke the embrace. He's a gentleman. He's not Bryan Hartcliffe. Got it? There's a difference. Oh, by the way, Mark, you can open your eyes now."

"Okay," said Mark. Then, Nova grabbed Venture's hand and Derek's hand.

"I…I… think this argument between you two has gone far enough," she said. "Unless I have to start crying my eyes out for you two to stop acting like teenagers, that is…Please!"

"Nova, I'm sorry," said Derek as he hugged her.

"Me too," said Mark as he came up to Derek and lightly clasped her hand.

"Good," sobbed Nova. "Now, before you two start fighting again, I want you guys to shake hands and make up. Got that?"

"Uh…Nova…do I have to?" said Derek.

"Yeah, he's such a jackass," said Venture.

"_Sacre__ bleu!"_ cried Nova as she broke away from her husband, walked away and put her hands up towards the ceiling. "You two make up, or, I swear, I won't talk to _either of you for a week_! You got that?"

Wildstar and Venture looked at each other tentatively while Nova's sandal slapped the deck as she tapped her foot and wiped her eyes. Finally, Derek extended a hand. "Hey, Venture. I'm sorry."

"Wildstar…I'm sorry, too."

Both men reluctantly shook hands. Then, they embraced.

"Thank you," said Nova in a relieved voice. She came up to both of them and gave them both a hug at the same time. "Now let's all kiss and make up." Nova kissed Derek, then she gave Mark a peck on the cheek.

Then, she stepped back, wiping her eyes again, and suddenly a positively twisted idea came to her mind. _This'll teach them_, she thought as a sudden smile came to her lips.

Nova looked at them, and then she said, with an evil grin on her face. "Now you two. C'mon. You guys."

"What?" said Derek.

"Kiss each other," said Nova with a silly twinkle in her eyes. "Kiss and make up like I said."

"Huh?" said Mark.

"You want me…to…kiss him?" asked Derek.

"Yup," said Nova with a mischievous grin. "I won't know you two are fully reconciled until you kiss each other. C'mon. I won't tell!"

"Wildstar, you have a nutty wife," said Mark as he stepped up to his friend.

"Nutty but cute," said Derek as he looked at his wife with affection for the first time in two hours.

At that, Derek and Mark kissed each other with a quick peck on the cheek. Then, Nova sat down.

"Good," said Nova. "Now, would you two like to sit down? Derek, before you interrupted me, Mark was asking about how we can have a nice wedding for him and Holly, and he got very depressed about it. That's why we had those kisses. Since he was afraid to come to you to ask about it, Derek, do you think that we can have a wedding for Mark and Holly? Especially because…Holly may die on that operating table tomorrow?" Nova sniffed hard at that, and they could see her lower lip was trembling before she got her reserve back. "Sorry, guys," she said. "I'm just so emotional about this…"

Derek suddenly felt both very guilty and very stupid. "I think we can do it," he said in a slow voice. "We just have to work some things out."

"Well, why not work them out now?" asked Nova as she held her husband's hand. "After all, we've got all night, and we can't sleep…"

"Okay, Mark," said Derek. "Do you have any ideas about this?"

"Well, Holly was kind of thinking things could go like this…"

* * *

Later on that night, Derek and Nova were alone in their cabin, naked in each other's arms. The lovemaking had been slow, but good, the last cherry on the cake of reconciliation they had built in the past few hours after their argument.

"Good thing Holly has a dress she can wear this afternoon, Derek."

"Yeah. And with IQ-9 and Mark carrying her, it won't look so bad."

"We'll have so much to do when we make that rendezvous with the _Bolivia_ at 1300. Think they'll mind being at a wedding party, Derek? And the crew needs another good party. They've been on edge…for so long."

"No, I don't think they'll mind."

"Then we'll be home tomorrow," she said. "Home again. And it'll be spring. Even with a war brewing, Derek, won't it be great to be home?"

"Yes…it will be."

Nova then kissed him along his forehead. "Oh? Wanna play again, huh?"

"Maybe."

"Let's wait until tonight. We need our sleep. And my arm still hurts," said Nova in a very soft voice. "I'm so happy to be with you. Even though you drive me mad sometimes…"

"Yes?"

"I love you, Derek."

"Love you too, Nova, my…my _tenshi_."

"Derek," said Nova with a sweet smile on her face.

At that, they both kissed, and Nova softly turned down the light.

* * *

Ekogaru the Great sat in a dark castle on Planet Carufax, 40,000 lightyears away. He grinned evilly as he watched Derek and Nova's cuddling in a crystal ball connected to his Fortress. He smiled, since he and Yvona Josiah were also cuddling suggestively and disgustingly on a couch in the tower in which Ekogaru now sat.

"Aren't they cute, Yvona?"

"They make me sick. Especially her. So when are you springing that trap, My Lord?" Yvona then looked at him, thinking, quickly, _No__. This is not the time to kill him and take over. Not yet. I need the brain from that clone of me. Then, when I do that…yes…but why not have some fun now?_

"Tomorrow. Let them think they're almost home. Then, when that last warp comes…they'll hear my music again…before I force them to come here. Involuntarily, of course. Then, they'll get to have a little sightseeing tour of my castle here on this primitive world. The dungeon and torture chambers, I hear, are quite nice this time of year."

Both of them laughed. Then, Yvona held the Dark One and asked, "What do you intend to do?"

"Nice trick you pulled earlier, weakening their resolve, Yvona. But, I can't wait to meet them."

"What do you have planned?"

"Let that be my secret," said Ekogaru. And, at that, he laughed, chuckling in a way that brought shivers to Yvona's heart even through the thin gown she had on. Still, her bare toes pressed across the Dark One's trouser-clad crotch with desire.

"You make me cold, but I want you, my Lord…" said Yvona. "Shall we?"

"Let us," said Ekogaru.

And, at that, Yvona Josiah prepared to descend into the depraved cold of her sterile, barren union with the Dark Lord all over again…A union…from which no new life could ever come. Someday, her niece's womb would be filled with a life that she and Derek had made.

Yvona's cold, mechanical womb would be filled with naught but Death.

* * *

**_THERE ARE NOW 32 DAYS TO THE ARRIVAL OF EKOGARU IN EARTH'S SOLAR SYSTEM_**

* * *

**To Be Concluded With Act Eight: _"Carufax"_**

****


	8. Chapter 8

**ALTERNATE TALES OF THE STAR FORCE**

**STAR BLAZERS****---****PASSICAGLIA AND FUGUE IN C MINOR**

**Being the eighth part of THE RIKASHA INCIDENT--- BY: Frederick P. Kopetz**

_Well, here we are; the conclusion at last to this rather harrowing tale. Not long after some great joy for the Star Force, Ekogaru's most diabolical trap yet shall be sprung, and…things will begin to turn rather interesting. Thanks again for your support… **FREDDO**_

* * *

**ACT EIGHT--CARUFAX**

* * *

**I. MEETING WITH THE _BOLIVIA_**

**Space Battleship _Bolivia_**

**Near the Wishing Star of Voton**

**Friday, April 9, 2202**

**1300 Hours Spacetime**

* * *

Captain Jorge Peronada smiled as his squadronapproached the Wishing Star of Voton.

_Now, we're almost there, he thought. Soon, we shall see what the _Argo_ looks like after her long, long journey._

Walsh sat up at his post. "Sir, I have Captain Wildstar on the line."

"Switch him to visual."

The signal switched, and Peronada saw Wildstar standing up at the Combat Station to greet him. Derek had a peacoat on, but, otherwise, it looked to Peronada as if he was serving as his own Combat Group Leader. _That's strange,_ thought Peronada.

"Captain Jorge Peronada, I assume?" said Wildstar

"Yes, I am Captain Peronada. You're right on time, Wildstar. How has it been out there?"

Wildstar took a deep breath. "Not that good, sir. We've met the enemy; many, many times. As a matter of fact, you can still see the damage on my bridge. My Combat Group Leader is in Sickbay being fitted with a bionic leg. Yvona Josiah, who is now a cyborg of the Technomugar, recently attacked us with a large Technomugar space fortress known as a Goraizu Fortress. It was a huge ship; a very heavy space battleship. I have a lot to report to you."

"I see."

"I'll be pulling up alongside your ship for the duration of our rendezvous. Would you like to set up docking tunnels?"

"Yes, of course."

"Then, we shall be seeing you soon. Thank you, Captain Peronada."

Wildstar cut off. A moment later, the radar officer on duty said, "I've captured the _Argo_ on radar. She's approaching at slow speed. Switching to video panel."

"My God," murmured Westlake. "They look like they've been through utter hell."

Petersen muttered. "They look terrible."

"They look so beat up," said the radar officer.

Peronada snapped to attention and saluted. A moment later, so did the rest of the bridge crew.

"Walsh, send an order throughout the task force for all hands to salute the _Argo_. They deserve it."

"Yessir," said Walsh.

Moments later aboard the _Valkyrie_, both Captain Denise Carroway and Eager were on their feet saluting with the rest of the crew.

"Damn! I'm almost glad I _wasn't_ aboard," said Eager. "Look at her! She's so damaged!"

"I wonder if that's the way _we're_ going to end up," murmured Carroway. "That is, if this task force even makes it to Iscandar and back. How did they even warp her that far?"

"The _Argo's_ a tough old ship," said Eager. "We've taken her through worse before."

"Yes, but it looks so…tired now."

"She'll look better once she makes port for a few days. She's on her way home."

"And you'd better be going, too," said Carroway. "I'll hate to lose you."

"I know."

* * *

A while later, the _Argo_ and _Bolivia_ were linked together by lines and two docking tunnels.

On the Argo, two Marines presented salutes as Captain Peronada and a lovely young woman in EDF blues with long black hair stood together in the docking tunnel. Two others stood behind them.

"Permission to come aboard for all of us?" asked Captain Peronada.

Todd Voorhees, who was serving as Officer of the Deck, intoned "Permission granted, sir…ma'am. May I ask who the young woman is?"

"Senior Lieutenant Maria Vasquez Peronada," she said with a smile. "You may call me Mrs. Peronada. I'm the _Bolivia__'s_ Navigation Bridge Commander, and I'm aboard the Bolivia as part of a personnel experiment that Earth Defense has extended to the Fleet. I'm pleased to be with Jorge on this cruise. Would you escort us to Captain Wildstar's cabin? Behind us, we have two others. Captain Denise Carroway of the _Valkyrie_, and Lieutenant Christopher Eager."

"I'm a guest," said Captain Carroway. "This is my first visit to the legendary _Argo_."

"And you're a…skipper?" asked Voorhees.

Denise rolled up her eyes. "Of course I am. I'm the captain of the _Valkyrie_. We've seen combat, too."

"I was her First Officer," said Eager. "But now, I'm comin' home."

"_Eager!_" yelled Voorhees, laughing and slapping his back. The Officer of the Deck promptly picked up a phone and placed a quick call. "Hey, Becky," he said. "Let everyone know that Eager's back! This is great!"

"Looks like you got a homecoming," said Carroway. "Sir," she said to Captain Peronada. "Shall we finish boarding?"

"Why, of course," said Voorhees. "Sergeant Hassan, escort them to the Captain's Quarters."

"This way," said the tall Space Marine guard.

* * *

A while later, (while looking at the damage to the foyer of the _Argo's_ Captain's Quarters, only some of which had been repaired), Hassan tapped at the hatch. "Captain. Your visitors."

"Enter," said Wildstar's voice.

Eager, as junior-most officer, opened the hatch. Peronada was pleased and surprised at the sight of Captain Wildstar standing there in his peacoat, and Lieutenant Wildstar standing there in her favorite pink dress and sandals. It looked as if Nova had just finished laying a lunch out on the small table in the cabin.

"Welcome aboard, ladies and gentlemen," said Captain Wildstar as salutes were exchanged and formal introductions were made. "The four of you can sit down at the table; Nova and I have seats over here by the desk."

"Where's the bunk, sir?" asked Carroway.

"It folds down," said Derek. "Right now, it's up."

"So, you're the famous Nova Wildstar," said Carroway while looking at her. "I've always wanted to meet you and your husband." One thing that surprised Carroway was how ordinary the legendary hero and heroine looked when one met them in person.

"I've heard about you," said Nova. "And everything I've heard has been good, Captain. Congratulations on your new command."

"Thank you," said Denise. "Of course, my real rank is Lieutenant. By seniority, you probably outrank me by a few weeks, ma'am."

"But you've had more time commanding a ship than I've had," said Nova. "And I know it's a tough job. Oh, Eager! Glad you're back. Don't let me think I'm neglecting you!" she said with a low chuckle while she gave Eager a quick hug.

"Nova, you got a bandage on under this dress?" asked Eager as he returned the hug and touched her arm.

"Yes. Just a little battle wound," she said with a slightly pained look clouding her face for a moment. "I'll be all right, Eager. Thanks for asking."

"Welcome back," said Derek as he gave Eager a quick pat on the shoulder. "Looks like we'll have to get you back into a proper Star Force uniform before you report to the bridge."

"I can take him down to Supply in a few minutes," said Nova. "It won't be too bad as long as I'm back to Sickbay by 1400 to help Holly get ready."

"What's the occasion?" said Maria Peronada. "Surely you didn't put on a dress and heels for us, ma'am?"

"We're having a wedding on board ship at 1500," said Captain Wildstar. "You're all invited."

"Great excuse for a party," chuckled Nova. "I'm the matron of honor. Funny; this'll be the second wedding I've been to as a bridesmaid since I got married."

"Sit down and eat with us, Lieutenant," said Peronada.

"I was a bit… busy," said Nova as she squeezed Derek's hand for a minute.

"Both of you," insisted Maria. "You both look a bit famished."

Derek and Nova looked at each other and then took some sandwiches and coffee. They sat down together at Derek's desk, facing their guests.

"So…uh…it looks like you've seen some action," said Captain Peronada.

"You could say that," said Captain Wildstar. "Have you been briefed on the threat of the Technomugar and the Rikashans?"

"I have been," said Jorge. "But I didn't know how pervasive or vicious the threat was myself until we had that battle at Procyon on the way out here. Did the Commander brief you on what happened?"

"He did. It was interesting to hear about your short-lived truce with the Cometines."

"Yes; I was surprised myself by General Devat's actions," said Peronada. "I have the feeling he's probably reporting this threat to his superiors by now. I wonder if they think the Technomugar are a threat to them, too?"

"It'd be interesting to find out," said Captain Wildstar. "Who led the attack at Procyon?"

"An Yvona Josiah," said Captain Peronada. "Isn't she the traitor who ran from Earth and joined them?"

"She is," said Derek.

"What's wrong?" asked Denise as she looked at Nova, who had just gone pale.

"Yvona attacked us, too," said Nova. "It was just a while ago…and I was Officer of the Deck then on a night watch. Before the Captain could get to the bridge, I had just barely managed to begin beating off a frenzied attack by _that woman._"

"Excuse me," said Maria. "This sounds personal. Have you met her before, Nova?"

"I have, unfortunately," said Nova. "Before she _defected_, Yvona was one of my mother's older sisters. I was nearly killed the other night by my own insane aunt."

"Oh my God, I'm so sorry," said Maria.

"How crazy is she?" asked Denise.

"Mad as a hatter," said Captain Wildstar. "She tried to attack us at our own housewarming before she defected. That was the last time we saw her face-to-face."

"Until those battles, Derek," said Nova. She finished her sandwich and looked at the chronometer on the bulkhead. "I'd better get going with Eager. I'll see all of you later."

"Take care," said Captain Carroway.

"Be careful," said Maria.

"Take it easy, Lieutenant," said Captain Peronada.

As Eager got up, Nova said, "Oh, I have nothing to worry about except IQ-9."

"You have one of those old robots on this ship?" asked Carroway.

Nova nodded. "This one's base AI programming has gone a bit funny. I think I've trained him not to pick on me anymore, but he can be very unpredictable. He likes to do really rude things, and he has a horrible crush on me. It can be a bit embarrassing when you're married."

"I once heard about a Ninth class robot like that who thought he was an opera singer," said Maria Peronada.

"I heard about him, too," said Nova. "Italian arias?"

Maria nodded.

"Never met him," said Nova. "See you later. C'mon, Eager."

"Be sure you don't kiss him next," teased Derek.

"Derek, you're impossible!" giggled Nova. She wanted to throw something small at Derek to tease him for his silly comment, but she didn't think it would be professional in front of her guests. "Watch him, sir," she said to Captain Peronada. "He enjoys bad jokes."

"So do you, Nova," teased Derek as the others smiled at the young couple.

Maria looked at them, chuckling to herself while she thought, _Oh, Captain Wildstar and his wife are so cute! They make such a lovely couple! And they're still newlyweds, too!_

"Mine aren't as bad as yours, Derek!" said Nova.

"Bye, guys, just in case Nova kidnaps me and I don't come back," said Eager. "You see, everyone, she looks sweet, but she's really been up on charges five times for various bizarre misdeeds with the ship's cat!"

"Oh, _you_! Shut _up!_" teased Nova as she playfully cuffed the back of Eager's head, while deciding to forget about professionalism for a moment.

"Nova, you got a mean right, mah head hurts!" teased Eager.

"You deserved that, Chris," snapped Nova. "By the way, Dash is in Sickbay," she added in a more serious tone of voice. "Wanna visit him after we get you fixed up?"

"Sounds great," said Eager as they stepped through the hatch.

"They sound like old friends," said Captain Peronada.

"They are," said Derek. "Just like all the old veterans on this ship. That first one-year trip to Iscandar really bonded all of us."

"And you two got married because of it," said Maria. "How romantic. You fell in love very fast, I'll bet."

"It was more like a slow burn," chuckled Derek. "She loved me for months before I acknowledged it and saw her as more than a buddy I liked to pal around with. Another guy…my best friend, matter of fact… loved her, too, but she let him down easy and they're like brother and sister now. Even though we've had our spats, all three of us get along great."

"Do you mean the famous Mark Venture? The man who came back from the dead?" asked Maria.

Derek nodded, flushing because he didn't like being reminded of Mark's death. "Thanks to Trelaina, we saw a miracle take place here on this ship. And thanks to Aliscea of Pellias…"

There was a tap on the hatch. "You rang?" said a quiet voice.

"Come in, Aliscea," said Derek in shock. "What's up?"

The others stared in surprise at this woman in a black dress.

"I felt Ekogaru again for a moment," said Aliscea. "Then, the feeling faded. He's stretching his foul mind out towards us yet again."

"May I introduce you to our guests?" asked Captain Wildstar.

"Thank you, but I know who they are already. I felt them come aboard."

"You…felt them…?"

Aliscea nodded. "Your ship, _Yamato_, I shall call her, has her own life force. Some here are dead, and some are living. I know all of the living aboard her, also some of the dead who sometimes visit her. I have met your Captain Avatar, I have met the ancient Captain Kosaku Ariga who was her last master when she was a sea-going battleship; oh, I have met with so many of them. I have even foreseen some of those who may board in the future if we live through this. Interesting what Captain Ariga thinks. He is a little bemused that all nationalities are now aboard his old command, but he understands that _Yamato_ belongs to all of Earth now, not just to Japan. He does not agree with Captain Avatar's renaming of his old ship; they occasionally argue in a kindly way about it."

"You have a way of making the fantastic seem commonplace," said Carroway.

"My woman, every day that you rise from bed, you walk aboard in a Universe filled with miracles, magic, and power. You are separated only by the thinnest of veils from Glory inexpressible that would cause you to fall to your knees in awe, or Horror unspeakable that would nauseate you far worse than a charnel house filled with bones and corruption. I can pierce these veils as easily as you women can look through a bathroom shower curtain. That is why I look so grave at times."

"You look a bit like Nova," said Captain Peronada. "Coincidence?"

"Perhaps. You could say I am of fire and the sky; the stars, the black void expressed in the black raiment I usually wear, with feet sandaled like a slave as a mark of humility. I am of the sky. Nova, on the other hand, is of the Earth. She is of life, growing things, secrets found under the leaves of plants, and she is a healer of the psyche and frame. There is good clean earth under her young feet, and clay on her fingers, wisdom in her bones, and her eyes see more than you guess. In my pride, I thought I was the Dark Lord's Antagonist. Maybe _she_ is. Maybe all of you are."

"What do you mean?" said Derek, who was shocked by this news.

"When Yvona attacked your ship the other night, she was flaming with Ekogaru's Wrath. I felt it even in my dreams and awoke, quailing, as my psionic guard was down. I thought that we were done for and I told Paul that. But, whether it was through the strength _Yamato's_ spirit gave her, or through some power she holds but is not aware of, or through the favor of the One Himself, Nova did not quail at seeing her aunt, who was acting then as the Mouth of Ekogaru himself. There was no fear, and she fought the threat, unaware, I think, of the forces she was resisting. So did you, when you took command. Love is itself a force. Your love for Earth, I think, and for each other, the love everyone on this ship shares for each other and for this ship…that force is something I think he might begin to fear even more than he fears me. And, lately, I have felt the energies within me shifting."

"Yes?" said Derek. The others were speechless at this.

"Yes. And if my Matrix of power is shifting, perhaps it will leave me, and pass on to this ship. And perhaps I must leave you for a time. I do not know. It remains to be…seen…" said Aliscea as tears ran down her cheeks. "If you'll excuse me…"

At that, Aliscea turned on her heel and left, quietly sobbing as she stepped out of the cabin.

"What was that all about, sir?" asked Captain Carroway.

"I'm not sure I know," said Derek. "Really. I'm not sure I know…uh…she's kinda confusing. Great to have around, but…confusing."

* * *

**II. MARK AND HOLLY'S HAPPY (SAD) DAY**

**Space Battleship _Argo_**

**Near the Wishing Star of Voton**

**Friday, April 9, 2202**

**1430 Hours Spacetime**

* * *

In Mark Venture's cabin, Captain Derek Wildstar was busy straightening Mark's peacoat as he stood at attention.

"Now for the boutonniere that Nova made," said Derek. Mark gulped and his eyes filled with tears as Derek picked up the small floral arrangement.

_It's just like the one she made when I met Trelaina_, thought Mark. _Only now, it's all white. It's so beautiful, and, please God, let my marriage to Holly last! Let it last more than a day! Let her survive that operation tomorrow morning?_

"I'm not sure how to put this thing on you," muttered Derek. "Nova's much better at this stuff."

"I think you use that pin in the back…"

A tap came at the hatch. "Come in!" said Venture.

Nova came in, smiling, carrying a tray with a wine bottle and three glasses.

"Struggling with that, Derek?" said Nova in a soft voice.

"Yeah, I am."

"Let me get it for you, love."

At that, Nova set down the tray and walked up to Venture. Nova began to prepare the boutonniere, stopping when she saw Mark's hair. "Derek! Some best man you make! Don't you _know_ how to comb his hair?"

"Uh…I'm not exactly good at that…"

Nova rolled up her eyes and got a comb. She began to work on Mark's hair. "I swear, the problems you and Holly are giving me today…she's struggling when I put on her headpiece, she says it tickles…"

"How does she look?"

"I got her fixed up really nice. Natalie helped, of course. Natalie loaned her the dress, I loaned her the shoes. I can't tell you more because I want you to be surprised, Mark."

"Yeah," said Venture in a choked-up voice as Nova finished combing his hair and put on his floral arrangement. "There! You look perfect. Here's one for good luck, then I have to fix your best man."

Nova then kissed Mark quickly on the cheek. "Holly will have to do better than that later on," said Nova. "Now for you, Derek! Oh…_look_ at you! Your hair's a mess, you didn't put on the boutonniere I made you, and you're not wearing your hat! I love you, but sometimes…_oooooh_!"

"I hate that hat!" said Derek as Nova combed his hair. "_Ow!_ Are you combing my hair or pulling it out?"

Nova giggled. "That's what you get when you use that plain shampoo."

"But I'm not using your girly stuff!"

"Watch carefully, Mark," teased Nova. "This will be you and Holly when she gets better. This is your…future!"

"No it won't."

"Yes it will, Mark," sang Nova. "She's even feistier than I am, remember? She told me to tell you that when she can walk again, she owes you a few swift kicks in the pants for being a jerk the other day to Derek and I. If it wasn't your wedding day today, I'd give you one of those kicks myself."

"What about me?" said Derek.

"You too! Wait until tonight!" cried Nova with a wink. Mark then knew she was teasing (but didn't want to let her husband know that yet)

"You sound pretty confident she'll get better, Nova," said Mark in a serious voice.

"Don't worry…we'll start fixing her up. And she'll be OK tomorrow, you'll see."

_I hope she'll be,_ thought Nova_. But I can't let on about the doubts Doctor Sane and I have, not when I'm trying to cheer Mark and Derek up because I can't stand seeing them looking depressed today._

"Done molesting my hair, Nova?" asked Derek.

"Yes, now for your cap…let's get it straight…"

"I look like the King of the Penguins with this thing on," sighed Derek.

"You look like a Captain; my Captain," said Nova in a soft voice. "You know, Mark, I really _do_ love this big kid?"

"Big kid?" said Derek. "We're the same age."

"Girls mature faster than boys, and I'm five months older than you besides," said Nova. "Now, let's get these flowers on you, then you get a big kiss."

"Do I need to close my eyes again?" asked Mark.

"No," said Nova. "Watch this, Mark. This is a lesson on how you kiss Holly."

And at that, Nova gave Derek a big, loving kiss straight on the lips. They hugged, and held the kiss for a long moment as they embraced and rocked.

"Hey, Derek, if you wanna put your hand up her skirt, remember, you're in my quarters, not yours!"

"_Shut up_!" both Derek and Nova said together as they broke the kiss.

Then, Nova stepped away and began to pour the wine.

"You know, Holly's been looking forward to this," said Derek. "You're nervous?"

"Yeah. Scared. Now I know how you felt back in December, Wildstar," said Venture.

Nova came up with the wine tray. "You should've seen him after I rescued him from his bachelor party with that commando raid. Remember that?"

"Yeah," said Venture. "We forced him to come, and we were expecting to see a stripper come out of that cake, to tease him a little but, instead, it was you, all in black like a commando with ninja boots on. How'd you pull that off?"

"Lots of bribes in the right places," said Nova. "But that's a story for another time?"

"Where'd you take him?" said Mark afterwards.

"In my room, in my parents' house. I took him back to the hotel later."

"And what were you two to up to?" said Mark with a wink.

"Playing Monopoly, snuggling, and talking," said Derek.

"That's enough, let me tell the story later," said Nova. "I wrote it down on our honeymoon in first-person narrative one morning when he slept in." Nova recalled the memory, guessing that Mark didn't need to know that she was sunbathing in the nude in a hammock on their island while writing down her story in a notebook. "Here, guys, take your wine."

They did so, then Nova set down the tray and took her own glass of wine. "I propose a toast," she said. "To Mark and Holly Venture. May the two of you have a long, long marriage, long and happy," said Nova as her eyes brimmed with tears, "and may all four of us be together to celebrate our Fiftieth Anniversaries and many, many beyond!"

"To Mark and Holly!" yelled Derek. "_Kampai!"_

"_Buono_, guys!" sobbed. Mark. "That's Italian for "Great!""

At that, all three of them drank, unaware that within a few weeks, one, and then two of the three friends would not be there for a while.

"I hope my dress and shoes are okay, Mark. These are the best things I have on the ship that aren't white," said Nova as she corked the bottle and put it back in the ice bucket.

"You look gorgeous, Nova. It's all right," said Mark.

"You know Derek and I wanted to wear matching black tuxedoes at your wedding," said Nova. "Mine would have had slacks, and black pumps or sandals, just enough so you could tell us apart."

"Maybe we can do that after we get home and Holly's better," said Mark. "We were discussing redoing this in church somewhere in New York so my family could show up after the war's over."

"That's a good idea!" said Nova. "Derek, you'd better help me find a formal shop when we get home. Got that?"

"Yeah," said Derek with a smile.

"You know," sobbed Venture. "I've said this before, but, I _l_ove_ both _of you guys so much We had that argument, but you two are the best friends a guy could have!"

"Thanks, Mark," said Derek. Then, both Derek and Nova hugged Mark.

A moment later, they left to go to the starboard side observation deck, where the ceremony would be held.

* * *

**At 1500 Hours….**

"I wonder how this is gonna look," said Hardy.

"I'm sure everything is set up to look its best," said Conroy. "Nova did a bang-up job with those flowers by the podium."

"Yeah…she did," said Eager, who was now back in his green and white Star Force uniform for the first time in months. "Wish I coulda stood up there with Venture."

"I think he wanted this to be small," said Homer. He quailed a little at Rosstowski's glare. "No offense, guys."

"No cracks today, please," said Aliscea as she shivered with her shawl over her shoulders.

"Are you all right?" whispered Paul.

"I'll live…"

Up on the stage, near a podium, there were several pots of flowers. The podium stood in the center of the stage; Derek stood at one side of the podium; Nova stood by the other side, facing the podium.

Yamazaki, who was now the Officer of the Deck, got up to the podium and said, "Ladies and Gentlemen, the ship's Chaplain, Rabbi Greenberg."

The chaplain, wearing a white Jewish prayer shawl over his Living Group uniform and usual yarmulke, came forward and took his place at the podium.

"Today, we are here in the sight of man and God to join a couple who have served lovingly in our midst for all of this cruise. As the Wishing Star of Voton, before us, is said to grant wishes, let us all wish for a happy union and full recovery for these two. Ladies and Gentlemen, may I introduce the Groom, Commander Mark Venture, our Deputy Captain."

The EDF march played softly on the stereo system as Venture walked forward, alone, trying to keep from crying as he came up the white aisle in his navy blue peacoat and Star Force uniform. He wore an ascot and the boutonniere that Nova had pinned on his earlier.

Finally, he took his place, letting a tear run down his cheek as a lump gathered in his throat.

A moment later, Mendelssohn's "Wedding March" played on the stereo system as the doors at the after part of the observation deck opened, and the bride came forth.

Holly was being carried by IQ-9, who was escorted by Doctor Sane. In spite of the fact that she had to be carried in, Holly Parsons made a most beautiful bride.

She wore a thin, simple halter-topped gown in white trimmed with lace at the bottom, with a garland of flowers around her forehead, and a white ribbon holding her flaming red ponytail in place…for the most part. Some of the ponytail ticked the back of Dr. Sane's head as they walked, making the old doctor laugh in spite of his tears.

At her feet, a pair of white sandals (borrowed from Nova) could be seen; Nova had decorated them with some of the same small flowers she had made Holly's garland out of. Holly was smiling, even though tears ran down her cheeks.

Holly shivered a little as IQ-9 stopped before the podium. Mark looked at her with tears in his eyes and whispered. "Holly, you look _gorgeous_!"

"Thanks, Mark. I'm glad you're happy," she said. "IQ, bring me closed to Mark. I want to hold hands with him through this."

"Sure," said IQ in a quiet voice. The little robot, observed Maria Peronada from her place in the spectators beside her husband, was on his best behavior.

In the crowd, Diane Henson and Tatiana Lubyanska smiled at each other, shyly letting their hands intertwine just as Mark and Holly joined hands to be married.

* * *

The ceremony was brief and simple, and took all of ten minutes. Mark and Holly gave each other rings presented by the Rabbi; rings that had just been made in the Dynamic Do-All the night before; Derek and Nova would get the engagement rings they had loaned Mark and Holly back after the ceremony was over.

Finally, for a poignant moment, after Rabbi Greenberg said to Mark and Holly, "By the power invested in me, I now pronounce you man and wife…" IQ-9 tenderly passed Holly to Mark. Then, he held her in his arms, and cradled her softly.

Rabbi Greenberg then said. "Commander Venture, you may now kiss Mrs. Venture."

Tears ran down their cheeks as the happy couple shared their first kiss as man and wife as Mark stroked his bride's smooth, bare back. After they kissed, Holly whispered to Mark, "Mark, my love?"

"Yes?"

"If I don't live tomorrow, please see to it I'm buried in this outfit? It's so beautiful!"

"Oh, God, don't talk like that, Holly!" sobbed Venture under the sound of the crew's applause.

"I'll try not to," she said. "You know I asked Nova to make our role at the reception short since I'm not feeling so good. Can we have our dance right away?"

"Sure, Holly…" anything you want," said Mark softly. "Today, you're the most important woman on this entire ship."

"Hey, Nova?" whispered Derek as he wiped away his tears.

"Yes?" sobbed Nova.

"Can I take off my hat now?"

"Go ahead," said Nova with a sweet smile.

Derek removed his hat. Then, he turned around and he and Nova saluted Mark and Holly as the crew applauded again.

"How are they going to dance?" asked Conroy.

"Yeah!" said Bryan Hartcliffe. "She can't bloody walk!"

"_Shhhh_," said Angie angrily as she slapped Bryan in the back of the head.

Mark and Holly walked together in front of the podium, with Mark still tenderly carrying his wife. Then, they held hands and began to "dance" to a contemporary song in a most romantic dance, with Mark carrying his wife all throughout the dance as the crew applauded.

"Hey, Derek, Nova…they look like you guys that time up on the first bridge when she had her coma," said Eager. "They look so cute!"

"Thanks," said Nova.

"They look very romantic," said Sandor. "Wildstar, I hope this works out for them. Venture's had too much heartbreak lately."

"I hope it works out, too," said Derek. "I couldn't bear to see anything happen to them."

"Even though Venture married a cripple who's probably no good in bed now?" snapped Sakamoto.

"Why you…_son-of-a-bitch_!" yelled Wildstar as he went for Sakamoto.

"No, Derek, _don't!"_ cried Nova as Wildstar grabbed Sakamoto by his shirt.

"Why the hell not? You heard what this idiot said!"

"There are better ways, Derek. Let him go!"

"Looks like you got me a reprieve, Missus Nova, thanks!" laughed Sakamoto.

"No you _didn't_ get a reprieve!" snapped Nova as she came between her husband and Sakamoto. Derek noticed that Nova's eyes were burning and brimming over with tears; he knew this was a very dangerous combination. Derek wisely stepped back.

"What do you mean?" said Sakamoto as everyone stopped to watch the fracas. Even Mark and Holly had stopped, fearful of the outcome.

"Just _this_," said Nova smartly.

A second later, she deftly pumped one of her skirt-clad knees up into his crotch as hard as it would go. Sakamoto fell to the deck screaming.

"Arrrghhh! Nova! You _ruptured_ me, you damn...!"

"Good…you _jackass_!" said Nova with a sarcastic smile while the flabbergasted guests suddenly applauded.

From the back of the hall, Carroway laughed and yelled. "You _go,_ girl! Can you teach _me_ that move? I could use it on my boyfriend Jeff!"

"Now, if you can walk, Sakamoto, get your sorry ass out of this wedding!" snapped Nova. "If you haven't already guessed, you are _not_ welcome here!"

"I'll get you, you stupid little blonde…" he muttered as he crawled away.

"Threats to a superior officer, Sakamoto?" said Wildstar. "She_ does _outrank you, you know."

"I…uh…heck…" said Sakamoto as he left.

"Nova, are you all right?" said Derek.

She nodded with a smile. "Just takes the right twist of the knee to do that. At weddings, you need a little finesse and class in dealing with rude guests. Isn't that what you showed me in my martial arts training?"

"Remind me not to mess with you when you burn the toast at home, Nova! And be careful with that knee?"

Nova smiled and mussed up Derek's hair while Mark and Holly finished their dance.

* * *

Later on, after Derek had briefly danced with Holly in his arms and Nova had twirled Mark around the floor for a bit in a dance that she said Holly had set up, Mark and Holly left the hall after sampling some of the small wedding cake.

They finally ended up in Mark's cabin. Mark noticed that some of Holly's things had been moved there already.

"We're in our cabin, now," said Mark as he gently put Holly on their bed.

"I'm tired," said Holly.

Mark sat beside her on the bunk, tenderly removing her shoes. She kissed him, and smiled as he tickled the bottom of her foot, even though she was unable to feel it.

He ran his hand tenderly up her bare leg under the gown. "Can you let me know when you can feel that?"

Holly nodded. "Right there," she said softly.

"How do you feel?"

"Mark…when you were carrying me around?"

"Yes?"

"I began to want you then…the way you were touching me when you carried me…"

"Oh, Holly!" he sobbed. "Can you…?"

"Yes, even though you'll have to help me. Before I fall asleep, I want you, my love. I want you."

"What do you want on for your wedding afternoon, honey?"

"Nothing at all. The bandage on my stomach isn't that big. Just…be gentle…?"

"I will be," said Mark.

And, at that, he began to undress his bride…

* * *

The wedding lunch began to break up a while later. Derek, Captain Carroway, and Captain Peronada walked together to his cabin while Nova, twirling in her dress, gave Maria Peronada a tour of the _Argo._

"So what else do we need to discuss?" said Derek as they walked.

"That transfer," said Carroway. "I need a new navigator-pilot."

"Yes, that," said Derek.

"And any advice you can give us for that trip to Iscandar?" said Captain Peronada.

"Yes," said Wildstar "Be careful. Be damn careful. Both of you guys."

"So I see," said Captain Carroway. "That sounds encouraging."

"It's not supposed to be. The journey will be very dangerous now."

"I know," said Peronada. "But, still, we have to liase with Iscandar and Gamilon. I'm sure it'll be an interesting trip…but, Desslok has to get that master defense plan. That's our number one job…getting it to him so he can help us."

* * *

Later on, Holly Venture, now naked except for the bandage on her stomach, purred as Mark pulled her closer and held her next to his naked chest.

"It's been too long since I've been with a woman like that," he said softly.

"How long?" purred Holly. Mark's lovemaking had made her so happy that it even seemed to be helping her back. Also, she swore he could feel his touch a little further down her thighs now as he ran his hands over her.

"Trelaina and I had one interlude like this where she was undressed. Just one. And we didn't actually join like you and I did. The rest was…in my dreams."

"With her?"

"Yes. We only made love like this in my dreams, Holly. Most of my sex life has been in my dreams, you know. I was with my girlfriend in the Academy…maybe …twice. This is only the third time I've done this or anything like this…in my life. I once had a crush on someone, but…I was never with her…like…this…"

"Did you dream of her? This girlfriend of yours?'

"Uh yes, I did, Holly. Along with Trelaina….and…well…and…"

"Who?"

"I…don't want to say…Holly. You…uh…know her too well."

"I won't tell," said Holly in a soft voice. "But, I think I can guess who?"

"Okay, you guess."

"You've dreamed about being with Nova like this, haven't you?"

Mark's eyes filled with tears and he nodded. "Yes. You're the first human being I've told this…"

"But you're not the first one who knows," said Holly softly.

"Who…who else knows?"

"She does. She knows."

"Nova _knows_? When? I never would have told her…"

"When you were delirious, after Trelaina brought you back, you talked in your delirium. She knew, of course. She saw you. She was taking care of you at the time as your nurse at the hospital. She said you dreamed of both her and Trelaina."

"What did I do?"

"I don't think we should tell you," said Holly with a soft smile. "But, Nova said she is quite aware of what a man can do in his dreams when he dreams of a woman. She knows dreams are dreams, and she doesn't blame you. Let's just leave it at that."

"Oh, okay," said Mark with a blush. "So what do you want to do now?"

"We both have the day off. I want to sleep…with you, my love. My husband," sobbed Holly.

"My wife," said Mark.

On that gentle note, they both slowly went to sleep.

* * *

On her ship, Captain Carroway was settling down to work with her new navigator-pilot, a pilot taken from the Black Tigers known as Lt. Felicia Keefer. Denise was beginning to miss Eager already as she settled down to work with the new, unfamiliar woman with light blond hair.

After the _Bolivia_ and her task group left to continue their journey towards the Sanzar system, the _Argo _continued on her journey home.

As Eager was busy re-learning the _Argo's_ functions, Captain Wildstar himself took the helm at about 1900 hours that day after he and Nova had both gotten back into their regular shipboard uniforms. He, Nova, Eager, and Sandor had joined forces to calculate the long warp back to the edge of Earth's solar system. After warping to the Brumus orbit, the _Argo_ would make a short warp to the Saturn-Titan station for debriefing and an inspection the next morning before Holly's operation at 0700. Then, they would leave for their final warp back to Earth at about 1300 that day.

"Attention all hands," said Captain Wildstar as he sat down at the _Argo's_ helm with the Wishing Star of Voton burning in the bridge windows before him. "We will be commencing the first in a series of three space warps that will take us home. All breakables are to be secured and all hands ready for this space warp. We will be warping in three minutes!"

The clock ticked down as Wildstar, Rosstowski (who sat beside him at Dash's usual post), IQ-9, Nishina (who sat at Rosstowski's usual post), Homer, Yamazaki, Eager, Sandor, and Nova all secured their safety belts.

"Ten seconds to warp," said Derek. "Ten…nine…eight…seven…six…five…four…three…two…one…zero. WARP!"

Derek pulled back the appropriate lever, warping the ship himself for the first time in God knew how long. He had warped once or twice on the way to Iscandar, and had a basic knowledge of how to pilot the _Argo._

A minute or two of distortion passed. The _Argo_ then rematerialized near Brumus. The warp was successful…the _Argo_, at last, had returned to its own solar system after a long, long voyage.

"We're almost home," said Derek.

"Whew," said Rosstowski. "What a warp! When do we do the next one?"

"In two hours. Destination: Saturn-Titan, guys. Does anyone have to stay up to get ready for that inspection?"

Every hand on the bridge went up.

"Well everybody, looks like it's gonna be a _long_ night."

"Yeah, you can say that again," said Nova.

"What do you mean?" said Eager.

"My locker is an absolute _mess_."

"Oh, don't worry," said Derek. "We'll get it looking good, between the two of us."

"I have to put some time in, too," said Rosstowski. "Aliscea's stuff is all over the place."

"Has she ever done an inspection?" asked Nishina.

"Not for many years, since she was an officer in the Pellian Fleet for a short while."

"And I have that operation in the morning," said Nova.

"Where's Holly being worked on?" asked Sandor.

"The base hospital," said Nova. "Doctor Sane and I are going to transfer her there first thing in the morning. Then, she'll be medevaced back home as soon as her condition stabilizes. Venture said he's catching a private cruiser right back out there right after we get home and debrief so he can be with her until she's shipped back home."

"He's taking compassionate leave to be with her?" asked Derek.

Nova nodded. "Poor Mark. At least now that he's married to her, he'll have no trouble seeing her under these conditions."

"Yeah. And if we have to go out again in a week or two for those wargames, we'll need a new and experienced Navigator-pilot until Eager finishes his on-the-job training to take over," said Derek.

"I'm sure they can arrange someone," said Sandor. "You'll see."

* * *

**III. PASSICAGLIA AND FUGUE IN C MINOR (REPRISE)**

**Space Battleship _Argo_**

**Saturn-Titan EDF Base **

**Saturday, April 10, 2202**

**0800 Hours Spacetime**

* * *

"Not bad," said Captain Wildstar as he and Rear Admiral Terrell Spears of the Third EDF Fleet walked down a passage on the _Argo_ together. They had just completed their inspection of the _Argo_ and her crew, and the ship had passed with flying colors. Everything looked perfect, all the way down to Nova's locker.

"You look tired, Captain," said Spears with a smile as he adjusted his glasses.

"Well, I was up all night with my wife like a cadet cleaning up our quarters and sprucing up our uniforms. Of course I'd be tired, sir."

The two men stopped not far from a lift. Admiral Spears laughed genially, with his eyes twinkling behind his glasses. "Well, that goes to show you that not even Captains get out of inspections in this Fleet. I'll send a good report to the Commander. Of course, those repairs are still ongoing, aren't they?"

"Yessir," said Wildstar. "We could use some dock time."

"Well, you'll have some time here, and I think you'll have about a week on Earth before those wargames next Saturday."

"I wonder what our role will be?"

"They haven't announced who will be commanding the Red Fleet aggressor force, yet. It might even be you, Captain."

Derek smiled to himself. Even though he knew this was just a preliminary to a much worse real battle that would be coming up, he sort of liked the idea of honing his skills and the skills of the Star Force by having the _Argo_ act as a Fleet flagship in an exercise. Derek was considering a few tricks that he could use in such a situation when Natalie Fisher, still in an operating room cap with shoe covers over her low shoes, came running up in a minor panic.

"Fisher, what's the problem?" said Wildstar. "I was just talking with the Admiral."

"They had an explosion on the base near the fueling area for the fighter squadrons!" she cried. "We can't transfer Mrs. Venture to the Base Hospital for that operation like we were going to; they need all the operating rooms on the base for injuries from the blast, and they're pulling some of our medics!"

"What?" said Wildstar.

"When did this explosion happen?" demanded Spears while he grabbed Fisher by the shoulders.

"Just twenty minutes ago," said Fisher. "Captain. Dr. Sane wants you in Sickbay…"

"Sir, request permission to leave," said Wildstar.

"Granted," said Spears as he and Wildstar exchanged salutes. "I have to find out what's going on _myself_!"

* * *

Derek ran into Sickbay just as he found Sane slamming down a phone and ordering four nurses, two medics, and Doctor Bradford to leave the ship. Around Sane stood only Nova, Fisher, IQ-9, and one other nurse. Holly Venture lay nearby in a transport cocoon; it looked like she was going to be moved.

"There you are, Wildstar," said Sane. "That young lady's already prepped for surgery, but we're gonna have to work on her here. If we get any more calls, please tell Doctor Kitara for me that I can't send any more help! I need one other doctor and four nurses on this ship to cover emergencies, and I need everyone here in this room to work on Holly, who is already under for this operation. Got that?"

"I sure do," said Derek. He looked over at Nova, Natalie, and the third nurse, who was known as Ensign Quiana Parker. Parker was a replacement from the base who had just joined the Star Force last night. "You've got everything under control?"

Nova nodded, tightening up one of her shoe covers in the process. "We're just about ready to go, Derek."

"How does it look?" he whispered.

"Tough. But we'll do all we can to get Holly fixed up. Tell Mark that," said Nova as she pulled her operating room mask over her face. "Quiana! Gloves!"

"Wildstar," said Sane. "It looks better than it did last night. We gave her drugs, and the spinal edema went down a bit. If we can get that debris out of her spine and keep her stable during the job, we've got a very good chance."

Derek turned away as the third nurse began to help glove Nova for the operation. IQ-9 stepped under a sterilization field, and Derek saw Natalie pushing the gurney towards the operating theater as he left Sickbay.

As Derek stepped out, the hatch locked and the indicator went red behind him.

* * *

Captain Wildstar walked up to the observation theater level for the OR. The shades had just been opened, and Derek could see Mark Venture standing with his hands against the window looking down into the OR with anxiety in his face.

"Is she gonna make it?" muttered Venture.

"I talked with Doctor Sane. He said they have a good shot, as long as they can keep her stable and get the debris out of her spinal cord," Wildstar said as he watched the silent ballet of the nurses and Dr. Sane below while they worked on Holly.

Dr. Sane's face was scrunched in concentration as he worked on Holly. Curtains and an operating hood covered her form, and Wildstar could see little wisps of smoke under the bright lights as Dr. Sane worked with his cutters and cauterizing instruments. Nova stood near him handing Sane instruments and acting as his "third hand" inside the deep incision. She stopped now and then to help Sane suction out a bleeder or to set a clamp or retractor to push something aside so that Dr. Sane could reach further inside the incision to work.

Now and then, Natalie reached in to help them as they worked. She and Quiana went back and forth, monitoring various pieces of equipment along with IQ-9, and getting instruments from a second tray as needed.

"It looks so confusing in there," said Venture.

"They know what they're doing," said Wildstar.

"I hope so," said Eager. "It'd be so sad if something happened to…"

"Yeah," sobbed Venture. "It'd be sad…"

* * *

In the meantime, the base was turning into chaos as black Rikashan planes showed up to make bombing runs.

Only a few Earth planes got off the tarmac out in the cold before the tarmac itself was heavily strafed. It soon looked as if the explosion had been no coincidence; a running land battle was soon going on with EDF forces that seemed to be disloyal, and with Rikashan troops who had shown up.

To the dismay of some of the ground commanders, it looked as if some of the lighter-skinned Rikashans and R'Khells had actually gone into battle wearing EDF uniforms to confuse actual Terran troops.

On the _Argo,_ klaxons were going off as Rosstowski, the OOD, was calling general quarters. Soon, Captain Wildstar (and, reluctantly, even Mark Venture) had to leave the operating theatre behind to run to the bridge.

As Sane reached into Holly's wound, the ship vibrated beneath them, and he pulled his hand out.

"I'd better be careful, but I can't stop now; we're in too deep, so we've got to finish what we started!" he said.

Quiana Parker stiffened.

"What's wrong with you?" asked Nova.

"Shouldn't I go to my combat station?" said Parker in a quavering voice. "Scared I'll drop an ink pen or something."

"As long as we're in surgery, this _is_ your combat station," snapped Nova. "You heard the Doctor; we can't stop now. Prep 30 cc of ViNox in case we need to add it to this IV."

"Ma'am, I'm scared. Those bombs are gettin' close."

"Think _we_ aren't scared, Parker?" barked Natalie Fisher. "We're stuck down below here…we've just got to trust in our shipmates above us in those gunhouses and on the bridge. That's all we can do now."

"Parker, get me that ViNox," snapped Nova.

"Yes, ma'am," said Quiana.

Another bomb went off, and Parker's clog-clad feet skidded on the deck a little as she ran for the medication fridge.

_She's got no space legs whatsoever_, thought Nova. _How did she last this long in the Fleet?_

* * *

When Wildstar got to the bridge, followed by Venture, he found that Rosstowski was busy. "Sir, I launched Lubyanska's and Hartmann's squadrons from the upper two fighter bays to help shoot down those planes. Pulse lasers are tracking the rest of the enemy planes now. Open fire?"

Derek nodded.

"Pulse lasers, _fire!_" yelled Rosstowski.

The _Argo's_ pulse laser batteries began to go off, blowing up some of the Rikashan planes that were on the attack, and scattering others.

Derek then watched as Todd Voorhees worked the cosmo-radar. It looked as if the Black Tigers were doing a good job taking care of the Rikashan raiders; the enemy obviously hadn't expected such a quick response. "Looks like there's a fleet off our bow, 300 kilometers over the base. Luckily, looks like Admiral Spears is taking care of it with Third Fleet."

"Signal from the enemy," said Homer. "Switch to video?"

Derek nodded. He looked up at the screen and snarled slightly as a familiar but hated orange face came up on the screen.

"Baron Cha'rif," hissed Derek.

"Greetings, Wildstar. A little sabotage? A little probe of your defenses, Captain? Did you like being forced home by Yvona?"

"We had other reasons for returning home, Cha'rif. And we'll be fighting you again soon. Remember that."

"Ohh…it's such a pity that His Lordship has other plans for you. I wish I could help, but I can't get in the way of my God. Remember _that_, Wildstar."

"Remember what? Your sarcasm? Your big mouth? Your sadism."

"No. If it wasn't for Ekogaru, I wouldn't even want to invade this planet. As I've said, you're decent people and I like you."

"You sure treat your friends _weird_," said Wildstar.

"If you live through this, I hope we can get together and have a nice talk, free of the burdens of war. For now, I am your enemy, _unfortunately_. Most unfortunately. Understand that to defy Ekogaru's will would be heresy for me. On Rikasha, sadly, they still crucify people for heresy. I shall be going, now. I see I have done enough to slow down your effort. Until we meet again…"

Just as Third Fleet began to roar in, most of Cha'rif's fleet faded off Voorhees' radar screen. "Dirty bastard!" he said. "He's warped!"

"Just their planes and two carriers are left," said Eager from the Combat Radar. "And those planes are runnin' home like rats abandoning a sinking ship!"

"Thanks, Eager," said Venture. "Nice to know."

A minute later, Voorhees said. "Now the last carriers are gone. Third Fleet only got in one shot."

"It's over?' said Derek.

"Base Command is saying they've killed or captured all of the Rikashan troops and Earth traitors," said Homer. "They're reporting that the battle is over, with heavy damage to the landing strips."

"Rosstowski, call home the Black Tigers," said Wildstar.

"Roger," he said.

"All hands, this is the Captain," said Derek. "Stand down from General Quarters and begin repairing any damage. We're still scheduled to leave the base at 1300, so work as quickly as possible."

"Damage control teams are already busy," said Sandor.

"So that's another raid," said Venture. "If it's been like that for Earth, no wonder it's so important for us to be home again, Derek."

"Yeah, you've got that right…"

* * *

A while later, Wildstar and Venture took up their vigil by the operating theatre. Luckily, it looked as if they were almost done; Derek could see Nova taking away a tray filled with glittering, bloody fragments of something as Sane worked. They waited in silence as the doctor and nurses finished.

About half an hour later, the light above the Sickbay door went green again. Venture ran down to the hatch as fast as his legs would carry him. He was there just in time to see Holly, still unconscious, being pushed out on a gurney by Natalie and Quiana. Inside the operating room, Doctor Sane and Nova were in the final stages of clean-up.

"It's better than we thought," said Sane as Captain Wildstar followed Venture in. "Holly's going to be a while healing, and she may need a treatment from Aliscea in about a week after we put her in Central Hospital on Earth. However, I'm now 85 sure she'll live and 60 sure that we'll see more sensation and some movement in those legs. Possibly a full healing in a month or two, but these things can be tricky."

"You mean, my wife will walk again?"

"Good chance of it, Mark," said Nova as she finished scrubbing down a counter and sat down to pull off her paper shoe covers. The same white sandals Holly had been wearing yesterday at her wedding were now back on Nova's feet again.

"Thanks," said Mark as he gave Nova a quick hug. Derek followed it up with a slightly longer hug. "Good job, honey."

"Thanks. I don't know where we got some of these nurses from, though. This one nurse I had in here…well, she's still as green as grass, Derek."

"Want some liquid refreshment, everyone?" asked Sane as he opened up a bottle of sake and held it up after he poured himself a large cup of the drink.

"Think I could use some, Doc," said Derek. He bowed as Sane poured him a drink, and then, he poured Nova a cup of sake. Nova then poured Mark some and put the bottle back.

"Let's enjoy this," said Nova. "Cheers!"

Everyone else smiled and chugged back their sake. Times were dark, but, somehow, they had a feeling that things could only get better.

After all, they were almost home now. The voyage was almost over.

* * *

Later on that day, Captain Wildstar, Venture, Nova (who was now back in her regular uniform), Yamazaki, Rosstowski, Eager, and Sandor were gathered on the bridge with IQ-9 after the _Argo_ had finally blasted off from Titan. The ship had just passed the orbit of Phoebus, and she was now pointing towards Earth. Dash had just had his cyborg leg attached, and he was still recovering in Sickbay along with Holly.

"_Attention, all hands,"_ said Derek over the shipboard intercom system. "_We are now on course for our very last space warp back to Earth. We will warp here and emerge from warp near the Moon. Then, we will cruise home for landing in the Megalopolis, followed by a debriefing for the staff officers, and granting of shore leave later today. I would like to tell all of you that you've been a wonderful crew, and it's been a pleasure to serve with you on this voyage. We have been in space just a bit over three months, but it has felt like a lifetime…_"

Bryan Hartcliffe sat in his quarters with Angie; they were packing their gear.

"_Some of you may not be returning to serve with us; some of you will be…"_

"I hope they don't really split us up," snapped Bryan as he hugged Angie. "Wildstar was threatening to transfer me off and keep you on the ship…"

"I hope they don't do that, either," said Angie with tears running down her cheeks.

_"I would like to bid a fond farewell to those who will be leaving us_" continued Captain Wildstar…

Down in the Voorhees' quarters, Todd held Becky's hand and said, "We'll both be leaving. I already know I'm going to go back to the JAG Corps while you're pregnant…"

"Yes," said Becky. "I guess I'll be at a ground post in the Navigation Bureau once we get home…"

"But we'll be together…"

"Yes…"

Wildstar continued. "_And for those who will be staying,"_ he said as he looked at Mark and his downcast expression (since Venture knew he'd be separated from his new wife) _"I would like to wish them success. For, we have a tough job ahead."_

Derek paused again, looking back at Nova. She smiled softly at him. He knew the smile meant _It'll__ be hard, but we'll be_ _together…_

_Yes…_ he thought in reply.

"_Again, I'd like to thank you. You were a great crew, and we did a great job…but our work is not finished. Soon, God willing, we will be able to return here…and finish what we need to do to defend Earth…"_

Derek ended, turning off the mike at his post for a moment. Behind him, the sound of the wave engine thrummed as he silently buckled his warp harness along with the others.

_We're going home,_ thought Nova. _Tonight, I'll be able to have a little bit of heaven in our own kitchen…the kitchen we barely got to use._

Another minute passed.

"Energy charge, 120," said Yamazaki.

"Warp preparations complete," said Sandor.

"Coordinates locked in and set for the Moon," said Venture. "We're right on the mark on the dimensional graph…right near the intersection point."

"Prepare to warp," said Captain Wildstar from the Combat Station

"Ten seconds," said Venture. He opened his mike, and began the countdown. At zero, he shut his eyes, and, glancing at his readouts, which all looked normal, he pulled back the lever.

Captain Wildstar shut his eyes, expecting the usual brief surge of nausea as the _Argo_ traveled into hyperspace for a minute.

Instead, the nausea hit hard, hard and fast.

_What the?_ Derek thought as he opened his eyes and saw the weirdness of hyperspace roaring past at an incredibly high rate of speed. _We shouldn't be going into warp that deeply if we're just warping less than one light-year to Earth! It feels like something's wrong!_

The other crew members began to feel the same thing after a minute passed. In warp, it began to feel unpleasantly cold.

_It's never been like this before!_ Nova thought as she opened her eyes and felt her hair flying behind her in something that felt like a great wind. Then, something hit her in the stomach.

Then, everyone heard a strange, disquieting sound.

Laughter. Laughter as cold as the grave. And organ music.

Paul recognized the tune at once.

_Passacaglia and Fugue in C Minor! Crap!_

A thought from Aliscea immediately formed in his mind. _It's him! He's doing this! That damn Ekogaru has just possessed the ship!_

The _Argo_ faded back into existence. Then, the bizarre sounds of warp began to fade, leaving only the headache-inducing hum that followed a space warp.

Around the bridge crew, normality slowly returned.

Derek looked up, opening his eyes as he raised his spinning head from his board. A familiar, welcoming blue planet loomed in the bridge windows.

"What the?" he said. "That was some weird trick! There's Earth! Granted, we're right in front of it…"

"Weren't we supposed to come out of warp near the Moon?" moaned Eager. "Looks like we overshot the mark a little."

"Venture, do you know what's happened?" asked Derek.

"Not sure yet," said Mark. "Instruments are all screwy…the astro-compass says…uh…"

Nova looked at the astro-compass and said, "Oh, my God! Either the compass is way off, or…"

"Or what, Nova?" said Derek.

Mark looked at the astro-compass again and swallowed hard. "That has to be off. Because, if that thing's right…"

"Yeah?"

"Wildstar, if the astro-compass is correct, we're way up the Orion Arm of the galaxy, near the core…and that's not Earth! If that's right…let me check my coordinates…"

The bridge went silent as Venture checked his coordinates. Finally, he said. "Wildstar! Come here and look at this?"

"Look at what?" said Derek. He got up, followed by Nova and Sandor.

Sandor looked, followed by Nova. "No…" muttered Nova. "Derek, _look_!" she said in a frightened voice.

"The numbers are all wrong," said Wildstar. "Sandor…?"

Sandor sighed. "This proves it. We're not near Earth, and the reason why is because something changed the coordinates right as we warped. But what…?"

"Engine room?" said Yamazaki. "Right…" he said.

"Sir, I have to leave," said Yamazaki. "The main engine's on fire!"

"What?" said Derek.

"Overloads," said Sandor. "I have to go. In the meantime, I suggest you find out where we are…"

Sandor ran off behind Yamazaki.

"What could have done this?" said Derek.

Rosstowski opened his eyes. "Aliscea said…he possessed the ship. She apologized…said her guard was down…said we'll have a long, hard road back home…"

"If we don't lose the ship…out here, over some planet we've never explored before," said Venture.

Derek banged a fist against his console in frustration and sat with his head slumped in his hands. He felt Nova's consoling hand on his shoulder, but it offered little comfort.

In two minutes, the _Argo_ had gone from being on the last leg of her journey home to being marooned 40,000 lightyears away from Earth in unexplored space…

…with an engine on fire…and a possible 'abandon-ship' situation beginning to rear its ugly head.

_And we can't even call for help!_ thought Derek. _We're out of range, and the Gamilon relay satellite system doesn't even extend this far. Damnit to hell, our goose is **cooked!**_

* * *

**IV. CARUFAX**

**Space Battleship _Argo_**

**Planet Carufax **

**Saturday, April 10, 2202**

**1510 Hours Spacetime**

* * *

The fire was finally put out in the _Argo's_ engine room while the Black Tigers guarded the wounded ship, expecting an attack at any second.

"Well, it's bad," said Sandor later on. He and Wildstar were touring the engine room, which was a mess. "The main control boards are all burned up. Everything here overloaded when the ship was forced to do that 40,000 light-year warp in one jump. The power circuits aren't rated for that much amperage. It's a good thing we even came out of warp."

"Can it be rebuilt?" asked Captain Wildstar.

Sandor nodded. "It'll take time. Until we can repair the engine and the energy generator control circuits, though, we can't bring up the main engine to maneuver hard, warp, or fire the wave gun. Maneuverability will be the easiest thing to restore. We may still have older circuit cards around so we can bring the wave engine on line to warp in 24 hours, even though the warps will have to be smaller and at a lower power rating than we were capable of just a while ago."

"What about the wave gun?" asked Wildstar as he walked over a power cable. Behind him, someone was welding, repairing a stanchion that had been damaged in the fire.

"That'll be the hardest thing to fix," said Yamazaki. "We'll have to scrounge through parts bins to rebuild those boards in the dynamic replicator. If we can put the boards back together, I think we can make the wave motion gun good for only ten or eleven megameters' range, unfortunately. And it'll be at least one or two weeks' worth of work to fix it. That's at minimum."

"So, in other words, the ship's going to be partially crippled," said Captain Wildstar.

"Yes, sadly," said Sandor. "If Ekogaru did this to us on his own, he couldn't have thought of a better way to hurt us…and Earth, than to do this. At the very worst, we may be out of the war for a long time…and may not even make it to Earth before the Fortress does."

"Damn," said Derek. He made a fist, and tears ran down his cheeks.

* * *

Much later on that night, Paul Rosstowski had been looking all over the ship for his wife. He finally found Aliscea standing alone and rather depressed on the aft observation deck, gazing back at Carufax.

"My future is down there, Paul," she muttered. "My future and my past."

"You can't be thinking of going down there, can you?"

"I have to, Paul. I can't explain it, but _HE_ is there. He and my damned father. This is what I've been hoping for over the past few weeks, since Iscandar. The chance to go toe-to-toe with our tormentor and the heart of the Rikashans' fanaticism. I _have_ to destroy him, Paul! Even if…even if…I spend my life in the process."

"Aliscea, you can't…we…we can help you."

"I must, Paul. And you damn well know that. This is…goodbye…"

"No it isn't!" he said as he grabbed her wrists. "I'll go down there with you. Even if you have to die, let me go with you."

"Paul, your career…"

"To hell with my career," said Paul. "I can get you down there."

"I was going to go myself, with my power, but I can't take you. If you want to go…"

"Since I am going, I can steal us a space boat."

"But who's going to fly it?" snapped Aliscea.

The door of the observation deck whizzed open. Bryan and Angie Hartcliffe walked in, carrying their gear.

"Aliscea," said Hartcliffe. "We'll do it. And I've got a co-pilot. We both know how to fly a landin' boat. I got Tatiana Lubyanska to arrange clearance for us to leave under cover of a trainin' flight. Get down to the flight bay in the next half hour. Slip into landin' boat number Two in the Boat Bay above the main bay. Hide yourselves in there, and we'll bloody getcha down to that planet."

"How did you arrange this?" said Aliscea.

"Bryan and I know you," said Paul with a smile. "And so does Angie. Besides, we're all the Star Force's outcasts. No one will notice we're gone for a bit."

"Thank you," said Aliscea as a sad smile went across her lips. She hugged Paul, and then she hugged Bryan and Angie. "Thanks…everyone."

"Don't mention it," said Angie.

"Anythin' to help you, luv…and end this war," said Bryan as he hugged Aliscea.

"Did you tell Captain Wildstar?"

"Hell no," said Bryan.

"Good," said Aliscea as tears shone in her eyes. "I'll see you guys in that boat. Let's go, Paul."

"What do you want to do, before we leave?' said Paul.

Aliscea only smiled at him. He immediately read her thought….

* * *

A while later, Paul and Aliscea were naked and together in ecstasy in their bed. They knew this could well be the last time they would ever be together, so they had decided to make it as beautiful as possible.

The air was musky; they were both desperate and hot as their joining continued. Aliscea kissed him, with her tongue feeling like fire in Paul's mouth. He kissed back, cooling the fire of her tongue with the warm wetness of his tongue. Their spirits also joined, each anticipating the other's move without words; thought to thought. They didn't speak; they didn't need to speak. When they were done, they fell against each other, spent, sobbing, exhausted. But, they were filled with joy.

"If this was our last time, it was great," said Aliscea.

"Don't say that."

"It might just be…"

"No!"

"Who knows?"

"Please?"

"I'll see what we can do," said Aliscea as she kissed her husband. A rueful smile clouded her features.

But, deep down, she knew it would be the last time…at least for a while.

"Let's get dressed, Paul. We have a lot to do."

"Civilian clothes?" he said.

Aliscea nodded. "I have some normal things here that Natalie Fisher gave me."

Paul stood, throwing his abandoned Star Force uniform shirt into a pile. "I guess I'll never wear this again," he sighed. "Let me help you get dressed?"

"Thanks."

"I love you," said Paul.

"I know that. I know that."

At that, Aliscea put on her undergarments with Paul's help, followed by a white peasant-style top, and blue jeans. She rolled up the jeans to lace up her thin sandals, and then rolled them back down again. "Guess I'm dressed."

Paul pulled on jeans, plain boots, and a light blue polo shirt. "Guess I'm dressed, too. Let's go."

They walked through the door, not giving their cabin a backwards glance. They did not expect to return.

* * *

A while later, they waited quietly in the landing boat, hiding out in the small head. The Hartcliffes were just outside, making light talk with Tatiana as they prepared for their flight.

"You'll go out just before I take off with Third Squadron; got it?" said Tatiana. "You're cleared for a quick flight around the ship and a few maneuvers. You're not cleared to go down towards the planet; Wildstar is arranging a survey that will begin checking out the planet in the morning. "

"Got it," said Angie.

Bryan just nodded and gave a thumbs-up. At that, Tatiana left, unaware of the presence of the Rosstowskis in the lower part of the boat.

"Are you two leaving us like I asked?" said Aliscea.

"Hell no," said Bryan. "We do this, we're finished, too. Aliscea and I have civvies in that bag up there. You know that Wildstar will court-martial me all over again once I get back to that ship; me and Angie, too. We're sticking with you, man. Sticking with you to the bitter end."

"Thanks," said Paul as tears ran down his cheeks.

"We've got takeoff clearance," said Angie as she closed her helmet visor.

"Good," said Bryan. "Aliscea, you tell us where to go. Let's take off, man."

At that, Bryan smiled, shut his visor, and began to start the landing boat.

* * *

In Derek and Nova's cabin, Nova stood making some hot chocolate. She and Derek were in the middle of getting ready for bed, and they were sharing some small talk while trying to forget about the predicament they were now in.

"I can't wait until we get home, Derek," said Nova. "There was some artwork I was looking at in a gallery before we took off. Wouldn't it be nice in the living room by the conversation pit?"

"Hmmm," said Derek. "Yeah, guess it'd be nice."

"What about if we enlarge the garden, plant some tomatoes…?"

"Sounds nice."

"Are you all right, Derek?"

Nova ran over and hugged her husband. Derek released a deep breath. "Nova, you know we might never get home."

"But we can dream, can't we?"

Derek nodded. "Yeah. We can dream. Better than thinking about all of this stuff, I…"

Then, his communicator went off. Nova quickly zipped up her uniform while Derek picked up the phone and said, "Captain's quarters."

"Wildstar, this is Sandor. We need you right away."

"What's up?"

"A landing craft that the Hartcliffes were flying just veered off course. They're refusing to answer us."

"What? Where are they going?" snapped Derek.

"Towards the planet."

"That's foolish. Did you try to contact Aliscea?"

"Sir, we just tried to contact their cabin," said Hemsford. "No answer. Permission to break in?"

"Granted," said Derek. "I'll be right there."

Derek hung up the phone. "Nova, you can stay up here. Just Hartcliffe up to some crap again."

"I'm coming with you."

"Nova, you look tired."

"I'm coming. I have a feeling about this…"

Derek looked hard at her, and then nodded. "Yeah, me too. C'mon."

* * *

Derek and Nova arrived together on the First Bridge a moment later. Sandor turned from his Officer of the Deck post in the Captain's chair to look at them as they arrived. "Look at this," he said, pointing to a display screen at his post. "The radar's just been punched up…they're approaching the edge of the atmosphere now."

Nova ran over to the Cosmo-Radar and looked over the shoulder of the Sergeant on duty to examine the pattern of blips. "They're over a small city of some kind near that small mountain range. It looks like Tatiana's flight is close to intercepting them."

Derek ran over to the Combat post. He asked Nishina to leave, and he sat down. "I've taken command," he said.

A moment later, Tatiana's voice came over the speakers. "Captain. The boat is approaching a populated area. They're refusing our demands to return. Seek permission to shoot them down."

"Denied."

"_Denied?_"

"We need to see what they're up to, first. Homer, punch me through to that ship."

"Yessir," said Homer.

* * *

On the landing boat, the radio transmitter light blinked again. Behind the hiss of the radio, the ship's klaxons were blowing as the regular crew ran up to the bridge to assume their posts.

"They're callin' again, luv," said Bryan. "Should I tell 'em to go to hell again, Angie?"

"There's a flight of Tigers getting close to us," said Angie. "Bryan, I don't like this."

In her Cosmo Tiger, Tatiana smiled grimly. "Don't like to do this, but sometimes, you've gotta do what you've gotta do," she said. "Captain! I'm locked on to the Hartcliffes!" She smiled as she looked at her HUD scope. "Seek permission to fire!"

"Hold that!" said Derek. "We have to see what they're up to, first. Got that."

"Aye, aye, sir," growled Tatiana.

On the boat, Angie said, "They're demanding we respond now!"

"Let _me_ handle this," said Aliscea in a stern voice. She grabbed the microphone. "Hello, who _is_ this?"

On the _Argo,_ sweat began to run down Captain Wildstar's neck. "Aliscea, what are _you_ doing there?"

"You know what I'm doing, and why I'm doing it. He has to be stopped. Somehow. If he is stopped, we have bought ourselves some time. Goodbye, Captain. You and Nova have been very kind to me. Don't prosecute Paul or either of the Hartcliffes for this. They are just trying to help me. To help your planet."

"Aliscea, come back to the ship now! This is suicide!"

"Suicide is a refusal to stop our enemy. I can say no more. Farewell."

The band went silent. Derek banged on his console and yelled "ALISCEA!"

"Derek, her mind's made up," sighed Nova as she sat at her post. "We'll have to try something else."

"Wildstar, we'll have to retrieve them another way; a less lethal way," said Venture.

"And I think I know what we can do," said Derek. He switched frequencies and said, "Conroy, are you awake?"

"Stupid question," said Conroy. "What do you want?"

Another communicator went off. A second voice came up on the speakers. "Wildstar, Hemsford here. Aliscea and Rosstowski left a note. They've jumped ship!"

"Good. Now we know what's up," said Derek. "You get a squad of eleven ready. Equip them with Tokamak Gas Guns and other such non-lethal force. Get ready to follow my commands. Lubyanska, you and Conroy cover us."

"Right," said Lubyanska.

"What do you want me to do?" said Conroy.

"You know Nova's plane, with the life-sensor pods? Get it ready. Nova and I are taking a little midnight flight to find our runaways. Hemsford, when we find them, you get that squad down there. Got it?"

"Yessir," he said.

* * *

A while later, a single Cosmo Tiger flew into the dusk sky over Hartcliffe's last known location.

Derek was flying the plane so that Nova could concentrate full-time upon her sensors. "Four life signs!" she said. "Got them! They're eleven klicks to the south, Derek!"

"Good," said Captain Wildstar with a smile. "I'll just keep way back, and have Hemsford come around towards them from another heading, then…"

Then, Nova cried, "Oh, NO!"

"What?"

"Rikashan Heat-seeker! I'm discharging some chaff now!"

Nova flicked a switch. "Oh, no! It's still coming, Derek! We're going to be shot down!"

"Crap…"

* * *

In the castle, not that far away, Ekogaru stared into his crystal ball while Yvona, Gralnacz, Marda of Rikasha, and Vergar muttered incantations while they danced around their Lord in black-cowled robes.

"Missile, missile of might and power," muttered Ekogaru. "Strike their engines! My Rikashan infantry servants, thank you for your aid!"

"Do you want them dead?" muttered Gralnacz.

"No, I want them to live," said Ekogaru. "But, I want them to come to me. Now, for a storm to bring down Aliscea…Ancient spirits of power…heed my demands!"

A strange green light came up from his crystal ball as the scene changed to the area around the Hartcliffes' landing boat.

* * *

"The wind's picked up!" yelled Bryan. "Strong bloody headwind! Help me, Angie…"

"It's him," muttered Aliscea. "He's trying to do this…Let me attempt a defense!"

* * *

Ekogaru laughed. "NOW BRING THEM DOWN!" he yelled.

He flicked his fingers.

Bang.

The missile hit the engine of Derek and Nova' s Cosmo Tiger. They ejected in the nick of time, just as the plane began to blow up.

The ejection seats shot them up and away from the explosion. Then, the chutes activated, and they began to drift down, noticing that the wind was blowing them apart, with Derek going off over one side of a small river, while Nova blew off along the other side of the same river.

The ruins of the plane hit the river, leaving a depressing pall of smoke over the valley. But, both Derek and Nova were alive.

* * *

Not far away, the wind blew. Black clouds had appeared, and a blinding rain had come up. A rain mixed with hail.

The hail bashed against the windshield of the landing shuttle while a strong blast blew them into a spin. Neither Hartcliffe could fight the spin…even Aliscea was unable to break the spin with her powers.

"The best I can do is let us down easy!" she cried. "Bryan, Angie, let go of the controls!"

They did.

A moment later, as Aliscea concentrated, the shuttle came out of the spin, and it landed with a right in the middle of the stream, more or less intact.

Bryan powered down the engines.

"Will this work?" asked Angie.

"No damage to the engines or wings or tail, and we still have power," said Bryan. "Bloody takeoff will require some more power, but, yeah, we can take off."

Paul opened the hatch. "We've still got power."

"No shit," said Bryan. "Power her down so the batteries don't go dead, huh? We can use this thing later after…well…after…whatever."

Aliscea stepped into the rain and the cold, running stream, ignoring the feel of the cold water against her near-bare sandaled feet. Lightning stuck in the hills, and thunder came overhead.

Another bolt of lightning came down, and an enraged Aliscea defied the lightning with a bolt of power that came out of her outstretched hands. Her power met the lightning and deflected it.

Then, she screamed at the heavens, "**_All right, Ekogaru! You wanted me here? You have got me here! But you will regret it! You, Ekogaru, shall regret it!_**"

Aliscea howled with rage as laughter seemed to rush up on the wind.

* * *

Captain Derek Wildstar stood in the river in the heavy rain looking at the drenched remains of their plane. He reached in, pulling a survival pack out of the mess.

In his helmet, his headset crackled. "_Argo_ to Tiger 032! Captain Wildstar, please respond!" said Venture.

Derek said. "This is Wildstar."

"How'd you survive that?"

"Punched out…"

"Is Nova there?"

"She punched out and went over the other side of this river. I don't know where she is. Can you send search planes?"

"Negative," said Venture. "Conroy and Lubyanska just barely got back to the ship. Strong localized storm cell. We've lost five planes in this. Hemsford's boat just made it back to the ship."

"Do you know where Hartcliffe's boat went down?"

"We think they went down about twelve klicks away from you, towards the south. If you follow that river, you might find them."

"Thanks," said Derek. "I'll try to search for Nova for a moment before going on. I don't think she's too far away."

"Do you know what's going on, Wildstar?" asked Venture.

"No," said Derek. "But, one way or another, we're on this damned planet. I'll find some way for _all_ of us to get off this planet…alive…_and_ together. We've got a war to fight. Wildstar out."

* * *

**V. CAUGHT!**

**The Vicinity of Pa'Cranda Village**

**Planet Carufax **

**Saturday, April 10, 2202**

**1905 Hours Local Time**

* * *

"Nova?"

The rain was beginning to calm down in the near-darkness on Carufax.

"Nova? Where _are_ you?"

Captain Derek Wildstar was looking around a grove of trees for some sign of Nova when he felt a hand tapping his shoulder.

"Hey, you!" roared Derek. In a moment, he wheeled around with his weapon out.

"Derek?" said a small voice.

Captain Wildstar stopped when he realized that he had his Astro-Automatic right in his wife's firm but defenseless stomach, clad in only her yellow and black uniform.

"Nova!" he cried, now with a different inflection of voice. Derek dropped the weapon in the mud and just embraced his wife in the dying rain.

Nova hugged him back.

"Where _were_ you, Nova?"

"The ejection seat brought me down in a tree. Luckily, I'm good in trees. But, Ow…my _behind_!"

Both of them laughed. "Yeah, mine too. Were you in touch with the ship? How come you didn't call?"

"Radio's out in this thing," said Nova as she took off her helmet and tossed it on the ground. While the rain began to soak her blonde hair, both of them looked on as the cast-off helmet shattered into three pieces when it hit the ground.

"Huh?" said Nova. "I didn't toss it _that_ hard!"

"It must have been cracked against something."

"That must be why it didn't work?"

"When did you hit you head, Nova?"

"It banged against a branch when my seat came in…"

"Looks like that helmet saved your life. _Whew_!"

"Yeah," laughed Nova rather nervously. She tapped the broken helmet with her booted toe. "Well, I guess it's better for a helmet to be shattered than my head! Where do we go now?"

"Easy. We go off to carry out our mission," shrugged Derek. "To find Aliscea. We've both had Ranger training, me in the Academy, you in ROTC that summer… What was the last heading you had on their boat?"

"About eleven klicks away, to the south. What'd the ship say?"

"Twelve klicks, to the south…"

"Call the ship to get a confirmed fix, Derek."

"Captain Wildstar to the _Argo_. Captain Wildstar to the _Argo_. Hello! Over!"

Derek got only static in his headset.

"Venture! Come in! Over!"

There was only silence.

"Well, either my battery's gone dead, or we're being jammed," said Derek. "Not bad. Now we're cut off from the damn ship."

"And it's getting dark," said Nova. "We'd better use what light we have left and start following them. Got a compass?"

"I've got mine."

"Mine, too," said Nova as she took a small compass off a pouch on her belt. "Well, shall we go?"

Derek nodded. "Well, let's go. I'll lead the way."

"Aye, aye, sir. It's been a while since I've done a land navigation exercise. Might even be sort of fun…"

"You know what I like about you?"

"What?"

"You can find some good in almost any situation, Nova."

"Thanks."

* * *

They followed the compass heading along the river, looking up as the clouds blew away and the stars began to come out.

"Looks like this planet has a moon," observed Nova as she looked up into the sky. "Nice and bright."

"Good. At least that'll give us some light," said Derek. "I think we're getting closer. Got the pedometer on?"

Nova nodded. "We've gone six kilometers so far. Want a drink?" She took a canteen off her belt and offered some to her husband.

"Thanks. Had enough presence of mind to get it off your ejection seat?"

"Yeah. What happened to yours?"

"It fell off when my ejection seat landed."

"Oh," said Nova with downcast eyes. "Good thing you weren't killed."

"Let's go…"

Derek turned, but, a moment later, a green burst of energy blasted out of the trees.

Nova tried to hit the dirt, but the energy beam caught her in the leg. She fell unconscious to the wet ground.

"NOVA!" cried Derek. Captain Wildstar drew his weapon, and angrily looked for a target.

He saw something moving in the trees, and fired. But, a moment later, a beam caught him in the back.

Captain Wildstar also collapsed to the ground like a fallen tree.

After Derek fell, a group of twelve armored Technomugar troopers came out of the trees. The sergeant took off his helmet.

"That's him," said the sergeant as he kicked Derek over onto his back. "That's the commander of the _Argo_."

"Good," said another trooper. "Let's finish him off."

"NO!" barked the sergeant. "Lord Ekogaru wants this lot alive."

"Wonder why," said another trooper "These organics look pretty damn small and undernourished."

"Yeah, they do," said another trooper as he tore Derek's shirt open.

"He looks good for his kind."

"Strip him and take inventory of his uniform and effects," said the sergeant. "The skinny little female, too. We can brand them with their prisoner serial numbers later on in the dungeon where it'll be more fun."

"Fun! Especially with a hot iron! Wonder what she's hiding under this jumpsuit?" said another one as he roughly tore open Nova's uniform and began to strip her. Two other troops prepared chains and manacles.

The troopers laughed as two of them lifted Nova up before throwing her limp form onto a tarpaulin in the back of a Techomugar armored personnel carrier.

"Let's take them to the Castle Pa'Cranda," said the sergeant. "Let's take them right to Ekogaru."

The armored personnel carrier started as the troops got on board.

At last, Aliscea was about to meet Ekogaru face-to-face, as were her friends and allies.

But, they were prisoners of the Dark Lord, helpless, chained, and disgraced.

It was not quite the confrontation that Aliscea had desired…

**END**

* * *

**The Storyline of _The Rikasha Incident_ will be continued in the Next Tale: "_A Wound (Like A Knife to the Heart)"_**

* * *

**_THERE ARE NOW 31 DAYS TO THE ARRIVAL OF EKOGARU IN EARTH'S SOLAR SYSTEM_**

* * *


End file.
